STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1032-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2386

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2386, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN ROLL COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission to be responsible for receiving and maintaining verification documents from individuals seeking to be included in the roll of qualified Native Hawaiians;

     (2)  Require verification documents to be kept confidential; and

     (3)  Prohibit the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission from publishing or releasing any verification documents of any qualified Native Hawaiian on the roll.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Sovereign Mokupuni Council O Kauai, Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly, Kaupea Homestead Community Association, Kapaakea Homestead Association, Kamiloloa One-Alii Homestead Community Association, Ka Ohana Kahikinui, Waiehu Kou Homestead Association, Waianae Kai Homestead Community Association, Villages of Leialii Association, Paukukalo Hawaiian Homestead Association, Panaewa Hawaiian Home Lands Community Association, Kewalo Hawaiian Homestead Community Association, Sovereign Mokupuni Council o Oahu, Waiehu Kou II Homestead Association, Waiehu Kou III Homestead Association, Waiehu Kou IV Homestead Association, Waimea Hawaiian Homesteaders Association Inc., Association of Hawaiians for Homestead Lands, Mokupuni Council O Maui, Mokupuni Council O Molokai, Hoolehua Homestead Association, and the Anahola Hawaiian Lands Farms Association supported the measure.

     Your Committee respectfully notes that individuals should be provided some financial relief when paying the Department of Health for verification documents, such as certified copies of birth, marriage, divorce, or death certificates, when the documents are required to prove that an individual is a qualified Native Hawaiian for purposes of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.  An earlier measure required the Department of Health to lessen the fees for these particular individuals.  Your Committee respectfully notes that affordability should not be a barrier to be included in the roll of qualified Native Hawaiians.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to upon approval.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2386, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2386, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

FAYE HANOHANO, Chair