HR210

WHEREAS, Kaho‘olawe is a sacred island to the Native Hawaiian people, as evidenced by ancient chants and archeological sites, and believed to have been inhabited for more than one thousand years; and

WHEREAS, subsequent to Kaho‘olawe's transfer from the Republic of Hawai‘i to the United States in 1898, cattle and sheep were introduced to the island, resulting in a negative environmental impact and causing soil erosion; and

WHEREAS, in August 1910, the Territorial Board of Agriculture designated Kaho‘olawe as a forest reserve and attempted to revegetate the island; however, realizing these attempts were futile in light of the proliferation of goats on the island, the Territorial Board redesignated the island, transferring it to the Commissioner of Public Lands, and it was leased to cattle ranchers; and

WHEREAS, in 1941, the United States leased part of Kaho‘olawe for military purposes, using the island as a testing and training range for military weapons, beginning five decades of military bombardment and control of the island; and

WHEREAS, in 1981, Kaho‘olawe was designated an Archeological District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and

WHEREAS, in 1993, Title X of the Department of Defense and Appropriations Act conveyed Kaho‘olawe and its surrounding waters to the State, providing for "meaningful safe use of the island for appropriate cultural, historical, archeological, and educational purposes as determined by the State of Hawaii"; and

WHEREAS, in 1993, chapter 6K, Hawaii Revised Statutes, was enacted, creating the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve and reserving its uses solely and exclusively for the following purposes:

(1) Preservation and practice of all rights customarily and traditionally exercised by Native Hawaiians for cultural, spiritual, and subsistence purposes;

(2) Preservation and protection of its archaeological, historical, and environmental resources;

(3) Rehabilitation, revegetation, habitat restoration, and preservation; and

(4) Education; and

WHEREAS, section 6K-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, provides "that the State shall transfer management and control of the island and its waters to the sovereign native Hawaiian entity upon its recognition by the United States and the State of Hawaii"; and

WHEREAS, Kaho‘olawe has served as the foundation for the revitalization of Native Hawaiian cultural practices; and

WHEREAS, the Girls' Court Program, a gender-specific and strength-based program targeting female juvenile offenders, was granted the unique opportunity to volunteer on Kaho‘olawe, where they lived together, shared and restored the land by planting native species of vegetation, cleared trails and paths, and learned about the island's history; and

WHEREAS, these young women benefited personally, spiritually, and educationally from this unique experience through learning about their culture, providing community service, and self-discovery about their young womanhood; and

WHEREAS, a similar program for offenders targeted at healing and teaching Native Hawaiian traditions and cultural practices would greatly benefit these individuals who could also develop a cultural connection to Kaho‘olawe by increasing their knowledge and providing a purpose for them and for future generations of Hawaii's people; and

WHEREAS, according to Department of Public Safety statistics published in 2005, approximately forty-four per cent of female offenders and thirty-seven per cent of male offenders are Native Hawaiian; and

WHEREAS, this program would house at least forty offenders, preparing them to become stewards of the land, learn life skills with an emphasis on Native Hawaiian cultural traditions, and become acquainted or reacquainted with their rich heritage; so that in helping to heal Kaho‘olawe, they would also help heal themselves; and

WHEREAS, a volunteer program for such offenders on Kaho‘olawe would temporarily address well-known overcrowding issues in Hawaii's correctional facilities and provide an opportunity for the many Native Hawaiian offenders in mainland correctional facilities to return home; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, that the Department of Public Safety convene a task force to study the feasibility of a reciprocal healing program for offenders on Kaho‘olawe, emphasizing Native Hawaiian practices for Native Hawaiian offenders; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force be comprised of the following entities:

(1) The Department of Public Safety;

(2) The Department of Human Services;

(3) The Office of Hawaiian Affairs;

(4) The Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission; and

(5) The Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Department of Public Safety is requested to submit a report to the Legislature on the establishment of the task force requested by this measure, including but not limited to any recommendations of the task force no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Public Safety, the Director of Human Resources, the Chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Chair of the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission, and the Chair of Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Kaho‘olawe Feasibility Study; Establishment of a Task Force

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	210
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII