Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Leases topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee passes SCR 128 SD1 asking attorney general for list of state lands leased to federal government
Summary
The House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs voted to pass SCR 128 SD1 after hearing comments from the Department of the Attorney General, which cautioned the resolution as drafted asks for a broad legal opinion and recommended narrower, follow-up questions after the session.
The House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs on April 15, 2025, voted to pass Senate Concurrent Resolution 128, SD1, which requests the attorney general to produce a list of state lands currently leased to the United States of America or any federal agency.
Committee members said the information would be useful as multiple military leases approach expiration in 2029 and related legal questions have surfaced. Deputy Attorney General Miranda Steed told the committee the resolution, as drafted, asks both for a list of current leases and for the attorney general's opinion on the legality of current and prospective lease renewals.
"Currently, the resolution, in addition to asking for, a list of all of the current leases that are leased out to any federal entity, it also requests that the attorney general opine on legality of both, current and potential lease renewals," said Miranda Steed, deputy attorney general. Steed told the committee that the attorney general's office prefers receiving specific legal questions after the session so staff can tailor a more detailed and practical response.
Representative Shimizu flagged a separate concern about language in the resolution referencing "the current administration," saying it risked needless division. "Some of the language ... seems kind of unnecessary and just promotes division that I think is not part of the spirit of cooperation," Shimizu said. The representative said she would support the resolution "with reservations" and that her reservation would be noted on the record.
The committee adopted the vice chair's recommendation to pass SCR 128 SD1 unamended. The chair and vice chair voted aye; Representative Belotti, Representative Kahaloa, Representative Peruso, Representative Takayama and Representative Todd also recorded aye votes. Representative Shimizu recorded an aye vote with reservations. Representatives Cochran, Hasham and Garcia were excused from the vote.
The resolution does not itself obligate the attorney general to issue a legal opinion or trigger a specific administrative action beyond the request. Committee members and the attorney general's office identified follow-up steps, including a possible, more narrowly worded request for legal analysis after the legislative session concludes.
