House Scheduled to Vote on Bill to Repeal Public Land Development Corporation

House Scheduled to Vote on Bill to Repeal Public Land Development Corporation

 

WHAT:  The House of Representatives will vote tomorrow on HB 1133 which repeals the Public Land Development Corporation.

WHEN:  Thursday, February 14, 2013, 12 noon

WHERE:  House Chamber

WHY:  The public has voiced serious concerns with the PLDC and the House has made it a priority to address the issue as quickly as possible.

WHO:  House Speaker Joe Souki and WAL Chair Cindy Evans will be available to media following the session.  Please meet on the Mauka side of the House Chamber.

 

Related articles

• Decision Making on PLDC Bills to Come on Monday (damontucker.com)

 

Hawaii House of Representatives Moves to Repeal PLDC

The Committees on Water & Land (WAL) and Finance (FIN) unanimously adopted HB1133, which would repeal the Public Land Development Corporation (PLDC).

The Bill will now be subject to a full vote on the House floor and, should it pass, cross over to the Senate for consideration. The remainder of the bills relating to the PLDC, which would have severely overhauled its scope and administrative rules, have been held in Committee.

“The public has spoken and the House has responded,” said WAL Chair Cindy Evans (North Kona, North Kohala, South Kohala). “It was made clear that the best course of action would be to repeal this controversial Corporation and that’s what we have moved to do.”

 

House of Representatives Takes First Step to Address the Public Land Development Corporation

The House Committee on Water and Land has scheduled a hearing on Saturday, February 9, 2013 regarding the abolishment of the Public Land Development Corporation or alternatives to achieve the original intent to generate revenue from public land.

In response to public frustration over the manner in which the Public Lands Development Corporation was created, how its rules were promulgated, the broad powers granted to the organization, and the lack of public input and participation in that process, the House Committee on Water and Land  will be hearing bills that will either repeal the Public Land Development Corporation altogether, amend, or start from scratch and create a new agency that will provide far greater community input and oversight.

“As the Chair of Water and Land I am approaching the issue from the standpoint of repeal,” said Rep. Cindy Evans (District 7, North Kona, North Kohala, South Kohala). “The PLDC cannot exist as is, something has to change; however, I am open to options and the most compelling argument will move forward.”

Rep. Nicole Lowen (District 6, Kailua-Kona) Vice-Chair of the Committee on Water and Land stated, “My community has expressed serious concerns about the PLDC, particularly about exemptions from planning, zoning and environmental laws. This legislation was passed with very little public oversight the first time around, and, this time, the public deserves to have a voice in the political process.”

“The people I have spoken with on Maui who understand the implications of PLDC support a full repeal. While I recognize the need for increased DLNR revenue and improved public land efficiencies, we must achieve these goals without posing a threat of undermining public input or skirting environmental regulations” said Rep. Kaniela Ing (District 11, South Maui). “The people, especially on the neighbor islands, are saying “try again” – we, as lawmakers, need to listen to them.”