Bill > HB2048

This bill significantly alters the process for disposing of public lands in Hawaii, requiring a two-thirds approval from both houses of the Legislature through a concurrent resolution, along with a supporting resolution from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), which represents Native Hawaiian interests. This heightened approval process now applies not only to general dispositions but also specifically to those involving public utilities and renewable energy producers, with new provisions outlining terms for leases and sales to these entities. Furthermore, the bill imposes stricter limitations on land dispositions to the United States military, capping leases at twenty-five years and mandating a clean-up and remediation bond from the military for any new land dispositions, which will be held in the state treasury. Crucially, the Board of Land and Natural Resources is prohibited from issuing any new land dispositions to the military until an agreement in principle is reached between the military, the State, and OHA regarding the return of unused lands and a payment schedule for past use of ceded lands, which are lands historically controlled by the Hawaiian Kingdom and later by the U.S. government.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2048&year=2026