A recent bill in Hawaii, sponsored by Governor Greene, aimed to lease public beach land to hotels and resorts for exclusive use. This proposal received over a thousand testimonies, mostly opposing it, and was ultimately rejected in committee. The backlash followed a court ruling that reaffirmed public access to beaches, specifically stating that Kahala Hotels & Resorts could not monopolize the adjacent public beach.
The now-defunct bill, SB 3148, sought to redefine “public use” to include private commercial activities under certain conditions, raising concerns about potential privatization of public beaches. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) appeared to support the bill but did not defend it during the hearing, leading to its demise.
Critics argued that the bill could block public access to increasingly crowded beaches. Many attendees emphasized that exclusive hotel use of public land would contradict the state’s responsibility to protect public interests. The opposition was broad, uniting various community voices against the idea of privatizing public beaches, which many believe should remain accessible to everyone.
While the bill has been rejected, similar proposals may arise in future sessions, prompting concerns about ongoing threats to public beach access in Hawaii.
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