Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2948 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to satisfy the State's obligation to pay the Office of Hawaiian Affairs its pro rata share of revenues derived from the public land trust.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Attorney General, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, Na Pua No`eau at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii of Manoa, the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Pap Ola Lokahi, the Daughters and Sons of the Hawaiian Warriors, and one individual. Two individuals submitted testimony in opposition to the measure.

Your Committee finds that the agreement embodied in this measure does not extinguish past and future claims that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs may have regarding revenue payments from ceded lands. Your Committee also finds that the $15,100,000 agreed upon should be considered a credit for payment owed the Office of Hawaiian Affairs from fiscal years 2002 through 2005. The payment of $17,500,000 should be construed as if the amount came from the ceded land revenues.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2948 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.