Bill Text: HI SB1085 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Ceded Lands; Public Land Trust; Management

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB1085 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB1085-Amended.html

Report Title:

Ceded Lands; Public Land Trust; Management

 

Description:

Prohibits the sale or transfer of ceded lands until the unrelinquished claims of the native Hawaiian people are resolved, reconciliation between the State and the native Hawaiian people is no longer supported, or until December 31, 2014, whichever occurs first; establishes a process for the sale or transfer of ceded lands, to be implemented only when one of the foregoing conditions occurs.  (SD1)

 


THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1085

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO CEDED LANDS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Chapter 171, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§171-    Limitation on sale and transfers.  The State shall not dispose of any lands in the public land trust, as described in subsection 171-18(a), whether by lease with option to purchase, sale, or exchange, except as provided in subsection 171-18(d); provided that the State may dispose of lands in the public land trust pursuant to subsection 171-18(c), provided that one of the following conditions is met:

     (1)  The claims of the native Hawaiian people, as defined in the United States Apology Resolution, Pub. L. No. 103-150, 107 Stat. 1510 (1993), have been resolved;

     (2)  The legislature finds pursuant to a concurrent resolution adopted by at least two-thirds majority vote of the members to which each house is entitled that the State no longer supports reconciliation between the State and the native Hawaiian people; or

     (3)  The approval of the disposition of the public lands trust land by lease with option to purchase, sale, or exchange occurs after December 31, 2014."

     SECTION 2.  Section 171-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§171-13  Disposition of public lands.  Except as otherwise provided by law and subject to other provisions of this chapter, the board may:

     (1)  Dispose of public land in fee simple, by lease, lease with option to purchase, license, or permit; provided that no disposition of public lands, whether by lease with option to purchase, sale, or exchange, shall violate section 171-18; and

     (2)  Grant easement by direct negotiation or otherwise for particular purposes in perpetuity on [such] terms as may be set by the board, subject to reverter to the State upon termination or abandonment of the specific purpose for which it was granted, provided the sale price of [such] the easement shall be determined pursuant to section 171-17(b).

No person shall be eligible to purchase or lease public lands, or to be granted a license, permit, or easement covering public lands, who has had during the five years preceding the date of disposition a previous sale, lease, license, permit, or easement covering public lands cancelled for failure to satisfy the terms and conditions thereof."

     SECTION 3.  Section 171-18, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§171-18  Public land trust.  (a)  All funds derived from the sale or lease or other disposition of public lands shall be appropriated by the laws of the State; provided that all proceeds and income from the sale, lease, or other disposition of lands ceded to the United States by the Republic of Hawaii under the joint resolution of annexation, approved July 7, 1898 (30 Stat. 750), or acquired in exchange for lands so ceded, and returned to the State of Hawaii by virtue of section 5(b) of the Act of March 18, 1959 [(73 Stat. 6),] (73 Stat. 5) and all proceeds and income from the sale, lease, or other disposition of lands retained by the United States under sections 5(c) and 5(d) of the Act and later conveyed to the State under section 5(e) shall be held as a public trust for the support of the public schools and other public educational institutions, for the betterment of the conditions of native Hawaiians as defined in the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, for the development of farm and home ownership on as widespread a basis as possible, for the making of public improvements, and for the provision of lands for public use.

     (b)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, all funds, proceeds, and income from the disposition of lands as described in subsection (a), whether by lease with option to purchase, sale, or exchange, shall be deposited into the public trust as set forth in subsection (a).  The funds, proceeds, and income shall be held and used solely for the acquisition of lands, to be set aside for the purposes set forth in subsection (a), with respect to lands ceded to the United States under the joint resolution of annexation or acquired in exchange for lands so ceded and returned to the State, and lands retained under section 5(c) and 5(d) of the Act of March 18, 1959 (73 Stat. 5) in order that the public land trust be maintained and not diminished.

     (c)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the State, its political subdivisions, boards, agencies, departments, and entities created pursuant to state law, may hold or manage public land trust lands, as described in subsection (a), by lease, permit, license, easement, exchange, or set aside.  In addition, upon the occurrence of an event as described in section 171-  (1), (2), or (3), the State, its political subdivisions, boards, agencies, departments, and entities may dispose of public land trust lands, whether by lease with option to purchase, sale, or exchange, provided that all of the following conditions are met:

     (1)  The State establishes a compelling state interest for the disposition;

     (2)  There is no reasonable alternate means to accomplish the compelling state interest;

     (3)  The disposition is limited to accomplishing the compelling state interest; and

     (4)  The disposition is approved by the legislature by concurrent resolution adopted by at least two-thirds majority vote of the members to which each house is entitled.

     (d)  The conditions described in subsection (c)(1) through (4) shall not prevent the State from:

     (1)  Disposing of remnants, as defined in section 171-52;

     (2)  Providing easements to public utilities and government agencies pursuant to section 171-95; or

     (3)  Engaging in land exchanges pursuant to sections 171-50 and 171-51."

     SECTION 4.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun, before its effective date.

     SECTION 5.  If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the Act, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are severable.

     SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

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