HB2672.DOC

SECTION 1. The overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani and the imposition of the Republic of Hawaii happened contrary to the will of many in the native Hawaiian community. Mass protest rallies by native Hawaiians occurred prior to United States annexation of the Hawaiian islands. The legislature finds that Hui Hawaii Aloha Aina and Hui Hawaii Aloha Aina o Na Wahine were organizations that protested the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani and worked to prevent annexation through a mass petition drive directed at the United States government to demonstrate that the majority of native Hawaiians opposed annexation. Between September 11 and October 2, 1897, the two organizations collected petition signatures on each of the five principal islands of Hawaii. The petition, Petition Against Annexation, written in both the Hawaiian and English languages, was signed by 21,269 native Hawaiian people, which represented more than half of the thirty-nine thousand native Hawaiians and mixed-blood persons reported by the Hawaiian commission census for the same year. The petition is filed in the Records of the United States Senate, Record Group 46, at the National Archives and Records Administration.

The legislature finds that the acts of courage and will of native Hawaiians who petitioned against annexation should be commemorated in a permanent public memorial located on a single site.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a commission whose function is to recognize and commemorate the more than twenty thousand native Hawaiians who signed the Petition Against Annexation.

SECTION 2. Chapter 10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§10- Petition against annexation memorial commission. (a) There is established the petition against annexation memorial commission that shall be placed within the office of Hawaiian affairs for administrative purposes and as provided in section 26-35. The commission shall consist of nine members appointed by the governor, of which three shall be selected from a list of persons nominated by the speaker of the house of representatives, three shall be selected from a list of persons nominated by the senate president, one shall be a member of the board of trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs, and two shall be selected by the governor. Members appointed pursuant to this section shall be exempt from the requirements of section 26-34.

(b) The term of members of the commission shall be for four years, to commence on September 1 and to expire on August 31; provided that the governor may reduce the terms of those initially appointed so as to provide, as nearly as can be, for the expiration of an equal number of terms at intervals of two years. No member of the commission shall be appointed to more than two consecutive terms or serve as a member of the commission for more than eight consecutive years. The commission shall elect a chairperson from among its members.

(c) Any member appointed pursuant to this section whose term has expired and who is not disqualified for membership under subsection (b) may continue in office as a holdover member until a successor is appointed; provided that a holdover member shall not hold office beyond the end of the second regular legislative session following the expiration of the member's term of office.

(d) A vacancy in a membership authorized by this section shall not impair the authority of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the commission and shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.

(e) The governor may remove or suspend for cause any member appointed pursuant to this section after due notice and public hearing.

(f) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel and necessary expenses while attending meetings and while in discharge of their duties.

(g) The commission shall establish criteria for:

(1) Selecting a site on the grounds of Iolani Palace to memorialize and remember the significant acts of courage of those who opposed annexation by signing the petition against annexation;

(2) Soliciting and contracting for plans, design, and construction on the selected site of a memorial wall that shall bear the names of those who signed the petition against annexation; and

(3) The oversight and maintenance of the site.

(h) The commission shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of each regular session on its progress in soliciting and contracting for plans, design, and construction of a memorial wall, located on the grounds of Iolani Palace, bearing the names of the persons who signed the petition against annexation; and continuing repair and maintenance of the site.

(i) For purposes of this section, "commission" means the petition against annexation memorial commission."

SECTION 3. Funding for the operations of the petition against annexation memorial commission shall be provided by the office of Hawaiian affairs.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2012.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2672
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012
STATE OF HAWAII