Appropriates funds to the Kikala-Keokea housing revolving fund. Repeals the Kalapana disaster relief program. (SB801 HD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to amend existing laws relating to low-interest loans for disaster victims. Part I of this Act appropriates funds to the Kikala-Keokea housing revolving fund. Part II of this Act repeals Act 242, Session Laws of Hawaii 1991, which provides low-interest loans to Hawaii residents who lost their homes and lands due to volcanic eruptions.

PART I.

SECTION 2. Beginning in 1983, and continuing into the following decade, lava erupted by Kilauea volcano repeatedly invaded communities along the southern coast of the island of Hawaii, destroying more than one hundred eighty homes. Flows entered Kalapana briefly in November 1986, then moved through the entire community in 1990 and 1991.

The lava flows destroyed one of the last native Hawaiian settlements on the island of Hawaii, a tightly-knit community whose right to occupy the land under homestead leases and to fish in surrounding waters has been recognized by the federal government since 1938 under the Kalapana Extension Act.

In recognition of this tragedy, the legislature enacted Act 314, Session Laws of Hawaii 1991, as amended, authorizing the department of land and natural resources to negotiate long-term leases with qualified, displaced Kalapana families to allow them to maintain their heritage on ceded lands in the Kikala-Keokea homestead area adjacent to the Kalapana-Kapoho Beach road. This site allows the Kalapana families to maintain their traditional cultural practices, including speaking the Hawaiian language, raising small animals, planting sustenance crops, growing herbal medicines, and gathering additional food resources from the nearby ocean and uplands.

In 2001, the legislature enacted Act 144, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, as amended. The law established the infrastructure development fund to fund the construction of roads, water lines, and other infrastructure, and the Kikala-Keokea housing revolving fund to provide low-interest loans to Kikala-Keokea lessees for home construction.

The purpose of part I of this Act is to appropriate funds to the Kikala-Keokea housing revolving fund.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 for deposit into the Kikala-Keokea housing revolving fund established under section 201G-170.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to provide low-interest home construction loans for Kikala-Keokea leaseholders and to fund related activities.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

PART II.

SECTION 4. Act 242, Session Laws of Hawaii 1991, is repealed.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2010.