STAND. COM. REP. NO.  881-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1618

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1618 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist the Board of Land and Natural Resources in administering lands and resources with respect to native Hawaiian issues by requiring that at least one member of the Board have demonstrated expertise in native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices in accordance with specified educational, work history, or substantial experience criteria.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and two individuals testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments, including a conforming amendment to an additional statutory section, for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 1618, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1618, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair