STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1035-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 3053

      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. 3053, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATIVE HAWAIIANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect Hawaii's environment, to promote sustainability in Hawaii, and to preserve the Hawaiian culture, among other things, by establishing and appropriating funds for the Aha Moku Advisory Committee within the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to advise the chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on issues related to land and natural resources management through the Aha Moku System.

     This measure also facilitates island burial council meetings and business by establishing a reduced quorum requirement for island burial council meetings.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources; Oahu Council, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Sovereign Mokupuni Council O Kauai; Sovereign Mokupuni Council O Molokai; Sovereign Mokupuni Council O Maui; Sovereign Mokupuni Council o Oahu; Waianae Kai Homestead Community Association; Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly; and a concerned individual supported the measure.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs opposed the measure.  The Aha Moku Advisory Committee, Maunalua Hawaiian Civic Club, and the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology offered comments on the measure.  

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and replacing it with the contents of H.B. No. 2806, H.D. 2 (2012), which establishes and appropriates funds for the Aha Moku Advisory Committee within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to advise the chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources on issues related to land and natural resources management through the Aha Moku System, and establishes the number of Committee members at nine, rather than eight.

     Additionally, this measure does not contain any provisions regarding island burial councils.

     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. 3053, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3053, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources.

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

____________________________

FAYE HANOHANO, Chair