STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2650

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 2668

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2668 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LAND CONSERVATION FUND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Increase the percentage of the Land Conservation Fund that may be used for costs related to the operation, maintenance, and management of lands acquired by the fund;

 

     (2)  Increase the maximum dollar amount of the conveyance tax distribution to the land conservation fund; and

 

     (3)  Appropriate funds from the Land Conservation Fund for resource land acquisition.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Historic Hawaii Foundation, Hana Arts, Ke Ao Halii, and six individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Association of Realtors.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from The Trust for Public Land.

 

Your Committee finds that the State dedicates a portion of its annual revenue from real estate conveyance taxes to the Land Conservation Fund.  Each year, the Legislature provides the Legacy Land Conservation Program with some of the money held in the fund, which then distributes this money through a competitive grants process for purchasing land and conservation easements and for paying the debt service on state financial instruments for the protection of agricultural, coastal, cultural, and historical resources; habitats, natural areas, and open, scenic spaces; and parks, recreation, and watershed resources.  Your Committee finds that this measure will increase the funding available for purchasing and protecting land that shelters exceptional, unique, and threatened resources.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the appropriation of funds is for fiscal year 2020-2021;

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2020; 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. 2668, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2668, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair