STAND. COM. REP. NO.  459-22

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2022

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2041

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2041 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Increase from five to twenty-five 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 from $5,100,000 to $8,000,000 the maximum dollar amount of the conveyance tax distribution to the Land Conservation Fund, if it is less than ten percent of conveyance taxes collected in that fiscal year; and

 

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

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Waianae Community Re-Development Corp. dba MAO, Maalaea Village Association; Ke Ao Halii; Hiipaka, LLC; Livable Hawaii Kai Hui; Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center; and five 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 Nature Conservancy - Hawaii and Palmyra, The Trust for Public Land, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that the recent escalation in real estate market values has eroded the buying power of the Land Conservation Fund to its lowest level since its inception.  At existing funding levels, the Legacy Land Conservation Program is unable to support many important opportunities for land acquisition.  This measure would provide a valuable infusion of funds into the Land Conservation Fund at this critical time.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2041, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2041, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair