OPPOSE SB77 to safeguard one hundred thousand acres of watershed lands
/February 16 update:
SB77 was passed out of the Senate Committees on Ways and Means + Judiciary unamended. WAM Senators Dela Cruz, Keith-Agaran, Aquino, DeCoite, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Shimabukuro, Wakai all voted in favor of the bill while Senators Lee, Moriwaki, Fevella were excused. JDC Senators Rhoads, Gabbard, Elefante, San Buenaventura voted in favor of the bill while Senator Awa voted against the measure.
February 13 update:
SB77 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary + Ways and Means Committees on Wednesday, February 15 at 10:20am in room 211 and via videoconference. No verbal testimony will be accepted, only written testimony submitted prior to the hearing.
Submit testimony by Tuesday, February 14 at 10:20am in OPPOSITION. The amendments made in WTL/AEN did not address the concerns we have about this bill. Sample testimony and instructions below:
Sample testimony
Dear Chairs Rhoads and Dela Cruz, Vice Chairs Gabbard and Keith-Agaran, and members of the committees,
I OPPOSE SB77 which transfers nearly one hundred thousand acres of acres of public lands from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture and removes the requirement that the Board and Land and Natural Resources’ review the suitability of parcels before the for transfer to the Department of Agriculture.
The transfer of these public lands to the Department of Agriculture—especially without Board of Land and Natural Resources’ discretion—may result in the loss of critical protections of public watershed lands and threaten the restoration and preservation of ecosystems that are home to native and endangered species and that can mitigate the impacts of our climate crisis.
I respectfully urge the committees to HOLD SB77. Mahalo nui for allowing me to testify on this important matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Testimony instructions:
Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)
Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the "Submit Testimony" button.
Enter "SB77" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."
Input your information and your written testimony, select your testimony option(s)—in-person + written, remotely + written, written only. Please consider providing verbal testimony (in-person or remotely) if you are able!
Note: Virtual testimony option may be disabled 24 hours before the hearing.
If you are testifying via Zoom, be sure to review these instructions (page 4)
February 6 update:
SB77 was passed out of the Senate Committees on Water and Land + Agriculture and Environment on 2/3 with amendments.
All senators (Sens. Inuoye, Elefante, Chang, McKelvey, Fevella) of the WTL committee voted in favor of the bill. Sens. Gabbard, Richards, and DeCoite of AEN voted in favor, Sen. Rhoads voted yes with reservations and Sen. Awa vote against the bill.
The bill now moves on to the Senate Judiciary + Ways and Means committees.
February 1:
There’s just some bills that come back year after year. SB77 is one of them—help us defeat this bad bill yet again by submitting testimony in opposition today.
Hearing info
Friday, February 3, 1pm in Senate Committees on Water and Land + Agriculture and the Environment
Bill details
SB77 transfers nearly one hundred thousand acres of pasturelands from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to the Department of Agriculture (DOA) by ridding the opportunity for the Board of Land and Natural Resources to review parcels for their suitability to transfer.
Why this bill is bad
The unreviewed transfer of lands from DLNR to DOA threatens irreversible impacts to lands and resources that may be home to native and endangered species, contain culturally significant sites and resources, provide access to hunting and traditional gathering areas, and aid in vital climate crisis mitigation.
Sample testimony
Dear Chair Inouye, Chair Gabbard, Vice Chair Elefante, Vice Chair Richards, and members of the Committees,
I OPPOSE SB77 which transfers nearly one hundred thousand acres of acres of public lands from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture and removes the requirement that the Board and Land and Natural Resources’ review the suitability of parcels before the for transfer to the Department of Agriculture.
The transfer of these public lands to the Department of Agriculture—especially without Board of Land and Natural Resources’ discretion—may result in the loss of critical protections of public watershed lands and threaten the restoration and preservation of ecosystems that are home to native and endangered species and that can mitigate the impacts of our climate crisis.
I respectfully urge the committees to HOLD SB77. Mahalo nui for allowing me to testify on this important matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Testimony instructions:
Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)
Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the "Submit Testimony" button.
Enter "SB77" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."
Input your information and your written testimony, select your testimony option(s)—in-person + written, remotely + written, written only. Please consider providing verbal testimony (in-person or remotely) if you are able!
Note: Virtual testimony option may be disabled 24 hours before the hearing.
If you are testifying via Zoom, be sure to review these instructions (page 4)