STAND. COM. REP. NO. 984

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1303

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1303, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Allow the Department of Education to lease public school lands for a term of not more than ninety-nine years per lease; and

 

     (2)  Amend Act 206, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, to allow the City and County of Honolulu to transfer lands under existing Department of Education facilities directly to the Department of Education, rather than through the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, and four individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Act 155, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, established a pilot program to generate revenue from uses of public school lands for public purposes, such as workforce housing, to build and retrofit twenty-first century schools and create more school-centered communities.  The pilot program laid important groundwork for a statewide approach and plan to optimize public school lands and modernize public school facilities.  Your Committee further finds that looking at ways to responsibly utilize the State's existing lands and facilities to generate alternative sources of revenue to repair, maintain, and build twenty-first century schools is not a new concept in other states and jurisdictions, but one that must be explored cautiously here in Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting a blank number of years per lease term for which the Department of Education is allowed to lease public school lands;

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1303, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1303, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

 

 

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair