Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2478 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to participate in and receive retirement benefits as other state elected officials.

Your Committee finds that the inequity in treatment of Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees for purposes of retirement benefits can be corrected by this measure. Your Committee finds that inasmuch as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees serve their constituency as other elected officials do, it is in the interest of equity, fairness, and parity that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees be allowed to accrue retirement benefits as other elected state and county officials, and employees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs now do.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2478 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.