THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	154
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the state historic preservation division to complete the 2006 archaeological working group's report and expand the working group and to work in conjunction with the university of hawaii at manoa's applied archaeology graduate program to develop an internship program and professional standards.

     WHEREAS, historic preservation in Hawaii is presently in a condition of unprecedented confusion and disarray, making it nearly impossible for the State to meet its cultural obligations and legislative mandates to manage historical properties for the benefit of the various descendent communities; and

     WHEREAS, the discovery, identification, and preservation of archaeological sites, human burial sites, and other historic properties are increasingly threatened; and

     WHEREAS, the recent acceleration of development, which often requires cultural resource management, shows no signs of abating in the foreseeable future; and

     WHEREAS, with careful planning and open lines of communication among archaeologists, developers, descendent communities, and state officials, few properties and sites would be disturbed, and when disturbance does occur, response must be in a culturally sensitive and productive fashion; and

     WHEREAS, the severe shortage of historic preservation professionals, particularly credentialed archaeologists, exacerbates the historic preservation crisis; and

     WHEREAS, protecting the State's cultural and historic heritage requires support of university programs to train the next generation of archaeologists with solid professional skills, ethical standards, and cultural knowledge; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the House of Representatives concurring, that the State Historic Preservation Division is requested to:

     (1)  Revive the 2006 archaeological working group, compile and amend its recommendations, and complete its report; provided that the working group shall report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010 on the outcomes as contained in the report; and

     (2)  Expand the membership of the working group to include a broader cross-section of the State's historic preservation community, such as, Kamehameha Schools, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, archaeologists from private cultural resource management firms, and archaeologists and historic preservation officials of state, county, and federal agencies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conjunction with the University of Hawaii at Manoa's applied archaeology graduate program, the State Historic Preservation Division is requested to:

     (1)  Develop a plan for an applied archaeology internship program that will be accessible to students throughout the system;

     (2)  Identify professional development and certification requirements that should be established for personnel of the State Historic Preservation Division and contractors of the Division; and

     (3)  Identify possible training and educational opportunities to be offered to Burial Council members to assist them in performing their duties; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Administrator for the State Historic Preservation Division and the Faculty

Director for the Applied Archaeology program in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

State Historic Preservation Division; UH; Archaeological Working Group