STAND. COM. REP. NO.  881

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 952

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 952 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL LANDS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to maximize the use of public school lands and to generate income to construct, repair, and retrofit public schools to meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond.  Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Establishes the Public School Lands Trust, to which all public school trust lands from the Department of Education (DOE) are to be transferred;

 

     (2)  Establishes the Public School Lands Trust Commission (Commission) within the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) for administrative purposes, to manage, administer, and control the Public School Lands Trust;

 

     (3)  Requires the Commission to, among other things, identify underused public school lands and sites with redevelopment potential, develop plans to redevelop public school lands, and develop plans for generating revenues from public school trust lands;

 

     (4)  Establishes the Public School Lands Trust Permanent Fund (Permanent Fund) and School Facilities Special Fund; and

 

     (5)  Requires a portion of the proceeds generated by redevelopment projects to be deposited into the Permanent Fund.

 

     The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Council Chair and two Councilmembers of the County of Maui County Council, and the City and County of Honolulu opposed this measure.  DLNR, DOE, the Department of Budget and Finance, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, and the Hawaii Government Employees Association provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 952, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 952, H.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair