SB415 SD1 SSCR577

STAND. COM. REP. NO.577

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 415

S.D. 1

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was recommitted S.B. No. 415, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to be matched by the federal government for the purpose of assisting native Hawaiians in their pursuit of self determination.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and the `Ilio`ulaokalani Coalition. Ka Lahui and a private citizen testified in opposition to the measure.

Your Committee finds that the measure acknowledges and recognizes the unique status the native Hawaiian people bear to the State of Hawaii and to the United States and facilitates the efforts of native Hawaiians to be governed by an indigenous sovereign nation of their own choosing. To this end, the measure assists the native Hawaiian people in their efforts to implement a process of native Hawaiian self determination by appropriating matching funds upon the enactment of federal legislation which establishes a process of native Hawaiian self determination.

The release of the funds appropriated by the measure is contingent upon the passage of federal legislation to establish a process of federal recognition of native Hawaiians as a sovereign class of people, the designation of a native Hawaiian organization as the entity to carry out the process of self determination, and the appropriation of federal funds to carry out this purpose.

Your Committee believes that the measure serves as an indication of the State's commitment to forwarding the process of native Hawaiian self determination.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 415, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

		____________________________ JONATHAN CHUN, Chair