WHEREAS, the trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs are elected by the people of the State of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS the kuleana (responsibility) of the trustees is to improve the quality of life of all Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, that kuleana includes service to a constituency whose population meets the criteria established by the Constitution of the State of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, that constituent population includes residents of Hawaiian Home Lands communities--native Hawaiians whose aboriginal blood constitutes fifty per cent or more; and

WHEREAS, trustees elected to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs must be cognizant of and voice the issues, concerns, and solutions that impact their native Hawaiian constituency; and

WHEREAS, it would be in the best interest of this native Hawaiian constituency to support candidates who reside in Hawaiian homestead communities and seek election to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and

WHEREAS, Hawaiian Home Lands communities are presently located on all the major Hawaiian islands; and

WHEREAS, the State Council on Hawaiian Homestead Associations, as defined by its bylaws, represents and advocates for the benefit of native Hawaiians living in Hawaiian homestead communities located throughout the State; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the State Council on Hawaiian Homestead Associations is requested to support candidates for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs who have received the endorsement of the Hawaiian Homestead Association in the homestead community in which the candidate resides; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the State Council on Hawaiian Homestead Associations who in turn is requested to transmit it to all of its member associations; the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission; and the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Report Title:

OHA elections; State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations