Video by David Corrigan, Voice of Stephanie Salazar

WAIMEA, Hawaii: Two senate bills that would transfer Hapuna Beach State Park and Mauna Kea State Park from the purview of the State to the County of Hawaii are making their way through the state legislature.

The bills were introduced by Senator Malama Solomon and have the full support of Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi.

Both elected officials were at a community meeting in Waimea on Thursday night to talk about the proposal.

This is not the first time the county has tried to take over the two state parks through an act of the legislature. But the results have always been the same, thanks mostly to the opposition of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

DLNR inaction in maintaining the parks had the mayor going on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Hapuna’s main parking area is about to undergo paving repairs.

Starting Monday, Feb. 11, the Department of Land and Natural Resources says they will begin the work, and that the project is expected to take 90 days to complete, or sooner if conditions allow. The park will remain open during the project.