STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3124

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 293

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 293, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

Civil Rights Commission

G.M. No. 293

SAMUEL MOKU, for a term to expire 6-30-2011,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal history and resume submitted by the nominee and finds Samuel Moku to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Civil Rights Commission.

     Testimony in support of this nomination was submitted by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, the Hawaii Carpenters Union, and four individuals.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Samuel Moku is the current director of the Home Ownership Assistance Program in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.  In this capacity he manages a $1,000,000 budget, contractual procurement of services, marketing, and creating partnerships with other organizations.  Prior to this position, Mr. Moku worked as a land agent with the Land Management Division of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. 

     In addition to his professional experience working with Hawaiian Home Lands, Mr. Moku is an active member of the community, volunteering with Special Olympics Hawaii for almost ten years, serving as Head Coach of Boys Track and Field at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus for almost ten years, and serving as a board member on the University of Hawaii Letterwinners Club. 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Moku's strong record of public service, both professionally and as a volunteer, and his demonstrated interest and involvement as an interim appointee to the Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission make him a valuable addition to the Commission.  Your Committee had concerns that Mr. Moku did not specifically meet the requirements of section 368-2(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, but based on the Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission's oral testimony that Mr. Moku will be able to do the work, your Committee's hope is that he will broaden the experience pool of the Commission and bring to it a new and valuable perspective.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair