23
STAND. COM. REP. 23
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2003
RE: H.R. No. 10
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2003
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.R. No. 10 entitled:
"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS RECOGNIZE AN OFFICIAL POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this resolution is to request:
(1) The federal government to recognize the political relationship between the United States government and the Hawaiian people in a similar manner afforded to Native Americans and Alaska natives; and
(2) That the federal government designate a permanent agency to address Hawaiian reconciliation proceedings and the political status of Hawaiians.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and the State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Hawaiian Political Action Council of Hawaii and a concerned citizen testified in opposition to this measure.
Your Committee appreciates the magnitude of federal recognition in the process of establishing self-governance for the indigenous Hawaiian people. This measure represents the Legislature's continuing efforts to establish a government-to government relationship between indigenous Hawaiians and the federal government, which is vital to protecting indigenous Hawaiian entitlements from constitutional challenges.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the title to read: "REQUESTING THAT THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS RECOGNIZE AN OFFICIAL POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND THE INDIGENOUS HAWAIIAN PEOPLE";
(2) Clarifying and changing references to "Hawaiian" or "Hawaiians" to "indigenous Hawaiian" and "indigenous Hawaiians"; and
(3) Requesting that the Chair of the Hawaiian Homes Commission be transmitted a certified copy of this measure.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 10, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 10, H.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs,
|
____________________________ EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair |
||