STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2173

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2678

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2678 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO SUPPORT CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the aha moku advisory committee and community education on the administrative structure of the aha moku system and on natural and cultural resource management.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Aha Moku Advisory Committee, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and one individual.

     The Aha Moku Advisory Committee was created pursuant to Act 288, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, codified as section 171-4.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes.  Act 288 states, in part:

"The legislature finds that, over the past two hundred years, Hawaii has experienced extensive changes.  These changes include the deterioration of the Hawaiian culture, language, values, and land tenure system, which have in part resulted in the over-development of the coastline, alteration of fresh water streams, destruction of life-giving watersheds, decimation of the coral reefs, and the decline of endemic marine and terrestrial species.

***

In conclusion, it was agreed that statutes, ordinances, and a framework for community consultation using the Hawaiian perspective and traditional methods such as the ahupuaa management system are needed, and the aha moku system should be established."

     Your Committee has amended this measure on the recommendation of the Department of Land and Natural Resources by:

     (1)  Consolidating the two appropriations into one appropriation for the aha moku advisory committee and inserting an appropriation amount of $110,000, allocating $75,000 for administration and $35,000 for community education; and

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2678, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2678, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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MALAMA SOLOMON, Chair