HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R. NO. 151 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources to submit a detailed report on its lease enforcement process and procedures.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.C.R. NO. 151
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.C.R. NO.
151
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources to submit a detailed report on its lease enforcement process and procedures.
WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (Department) serves as the steward of the State's natural and cultural resources and is entrusted with their protection and sustainable management for present and future generations; and WHEREAS, the Department administers leases for the use of public lands that carry specific terms and conditions designed to ensure responsible use, environmental protection, and compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations; and WHEREAS, the Department has stated that it maintains a policy of not renewing or issuing leases to entities that have violated the terms of previous agreements and that its existing protocols to ensure lease compliance are adequate; and WHEREAS, however, there exists credible evidence suggesting that certain lessees, including military lessees, have violated terms of their lease agreements through documented instances of environmental damage, unauthorized land use, or failure to fulfill contractual obligations; and WHEREAS, transparent governance requires clear documentation and public reporting of how enforcement decisions are made, particularly when they involve public lands held in trust for all of Hawaii's residents; and WHEREAS, a comprehensive report detailing the Department's lease enforcement protocols, violation histories, and renewal decision criteria would provide necessary clarity on enforcement decisions to policymakers and the public; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to submit a detailed report on its lease enforcement process and procedures; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report is requested to include the following information: (1) The Department's formal policies and procedures for monitoring lease compliance, including the specific enforcement actions taken in response to violations; (2) How the Department assesses whether or not a lessee is in arrears with any state department or agency, in good standing, or in violation of the lessee's lease or memorandum of understanding, for all lessees, including federal agencies; (3) A comprehensive accounting of the ten most recent incidences where a lease was revoked or not renewed due to lease violations, including the context, process, and reason why the revocation or non-renewal was ultimately made; and (4) The total number of leases that have been revoked or not renewed due to lease violations; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation for improving lease enforcement mechanisms and transparency, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources. OFFERED BY: _____________________________
WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (Department) serves as the steward of the State's natural and cultural resources and is entrusted with their protection and sustainable management for present and future generations; and
WHEREAS, the Department administers leases for the use of public lands that carry specific terms and conditions designed to ensure responsible use, environmental protection, and compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations; and
WHEREAS, the Department has stated that it maintains a policy of not renewing or issuing leases to entities that have violated the terms of previous agreements and that its existing protocols to ensure lease compliance are adequate; and
WHEREAS, however, there exists credible evidence suggesting that certain lessees, including military lessees, have violated terms of their lease agreements through documented instances of environmental damage, unauthorized land use, or failure to fulfill contractual obligations; and
WHEREAS, transparent governance requires clear documentation and public reporting of how enforcement decisions are made, particularly when they involve public lands held in trust for all of Hawaii's residents; and
WHEREAS, a comprehensive report detailing the Department's lease enforcement protocols, violation histories, and renewal decision criteria would provide necessary clarity on enforcement decisions to policymakers and the public; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to submit a detailed report on its lease enforcement process and procedures; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report is requested to include the following information:
(1) The Department's formal policies and procedures for monitoring lease compliance, including the specific enforcement actions taken in response to violations;
(2) How the Department assesses whether or not a lessee is in arrears with any state department or agency, in good standing, or in violation of the lessee's lease or memorandum of understanding, for all lessees, including federal agencies;
(3) A comprehensive accounting of the ten most recent incidences where a lease was revoked or not renewed due to lease violations, including the context, process, and reason why the revocation or non-renewal was ultimately made; and
(4) The total number of leases that have been revoked or not renewed due to lease violations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation for improving lease enforcement mechanisms and transparency, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.
OFFERED BY: _____________________________
OFFERED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title: DLNR; Lease Enforcement; Report
Report Title:
DLNR; Lease Enforcement; Report