STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3481

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 235

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Education and Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, Economic Development and Taxation, and Water and Land, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 235 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MANOA EXPAND UPON A MASTER OF ARTS PROGRAM IN APPLIED ARCHAEOLOGY, THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT HILO ESTABLISH A GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, AND THAT THE STATE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION DIVISION REVIVE ITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORKING GROUP,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Request the University of Hawaii at Manoa to expand upon its Master of Arts program in Applied Archaeology;

     (2)  Request the University of Hawaii at Manoa to establish a graduate program in Cultural Resource Management at the University of Hawaii at Hilo; and

     (3)  Request the State Historical Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to revive its archaeological working group.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Bishop Museum and the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology.  Comments on the measure were submitted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the University of Hawaii System.

     Your Committees find that cultural and historic preservation are of critical importance to the State and its residents, and the State must work to ensure that such is supported and perpetuated.  As is the case in many other areas of great importance throughout the State, there is currently a shortage of qualified individuals with proper education, credentials, and experience to understand and address the needs and concerns regarding cultural and historic preservation of the Hawaiian culture.  This measure requests the University of Hawaii to develop and grow a graduate program in Applied Archaeology at its Manoa campus as well as throughout the other campuses and Cultural Resources Management at its Hilo campus.  Your Committees determine that the development and expansion of these programs will help to grow a qualified workforce in Hawaii without requiring residents to pursue an education in these areas elsewhere and will ultimately provide for the preservation of the Hawaiian culture and history.

     Your Committees further find that in 2006, the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources established an archaeological working group to address current and future archaeological issues in Hawaii.  However, the working group was unable to complete its work and issue its findings and recommendations based thereupon.  This measure also requests the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to reconvene the working group to complete its work.  Your Committees determine that the working group's findings and recommendations will help to provide valuable guidance on necessary planning and action by the State to ensure the proper preservation and protection of Hawaiian history and culture.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, Economic Development and Taxation, and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 235, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 235, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and Economic Development and Taxation and Water and Land,

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair	____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair
____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair	____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair