STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1587

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1200

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BUDGET OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the operating and capital improvement costs of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for the fiscal biennium from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2009.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Na Pua No`eau; Ala Kuola; the Hawaii Community Development Authority; and one hundred forty-four individuals.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs' operating budget request contains salary adjustments of four per cent for both fiscal years, changes in means of financing to more efficiently process payroll, and additional funding for two programs—the Multi Service Project for Alu Like, Inc., and Na Pua No`eau.  Your Committee finds that these requests are reasonable and justified and has therefore provided full funding for all Office of Hawaiian Affairs operating budget requests.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs capital budget request is for a new cultural center and office building.  Your Committee provided $3,050,000 in general obligation bonds for fiscal year 2007-2008 to fund the planning and design of the new cultural center and office building.  In addition, your Committee authorized $52,990,000 in trust funds for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the new facility and made technical amendments to the description of the project.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 1 as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair