STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1512

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.C.R. No. 126

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 126 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS TO WORK WITH THE HAWAI‘INUIAKEA SCHOOL OF HAWAIIAN KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO DEVELOP A KUPUNA HONORARY DEGREE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to recognize and honor eligible kupuna for their accomplishments, based on Hawaiian standards, by requesting the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) to work with the Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge of the University of Hawaii (UH) to develop a kupuna honorary degree program that will award the Pohaku Degree, the Hawaii equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

     OHA supported this measure with amendments.  UH at Manoa commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution as requested by OHA and UH, by:

(1)  Amending the title to read:  "REQUESTING THE EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS TO WORK WITH THE HAWAI‘INUIAKEA SCHOOL OF HAWAIIAN KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO DEVELOP A KUPUNA HONORARY DEGREE PROGRAM";

(2)  Specifying that the Education Division of OHA is to develop the award in consultation with the UH Hawai`inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge;

(3)  Removing references to "Pohaku Award" to allow the komike kupuna to name the award; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 126, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Higher Education in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 126, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Chair