STAND. COM. REP. NO.  954

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 400

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 400 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 bill is to support programs that benefit Hawaiians and native Hawaiians by appropriating funds for the operating and capital improvement budgets of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA).

     OHA, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the Hawaii Family Law Clinic dba Ala Kuola, ALU LIKE, Inc., Papa Ola Lokahi, Na Pua No'eau, The Mestizo Association, the Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.

     Your Committee carefully considered OHA's requests for the upcoming biennium and approves of the agency’s sole request to transfer funds from two of its programs, the Office of the Trustees and Administration, to a third program, Beneficiary Advocacy.  These transferred funds will be used for services and assistance to beneficiaries in the areas of social services, legal services and representation, and educational enrichment programs.

     However, taking into account the state of Hawaii's economy, your Committee believes it is fair to distribute budget reductions throughout the State.  Thus, your Committee recommends a four percent reduction in the general funds allocated to OHA, resulting in a reduction of approximately $99,000.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 400, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 400, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair