STAND. COM. REP. NO.  600-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1932

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1932 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure the Legislature fulfills its responsibility under article XII, section 1, of the state constitution by appropriating funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to reimburse for administrative and operating costs the agency has expensed out of DHHL special and trust funds for fiscal year 2016.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Kalihi Palama Hawaiian Civic Club, Papakolea Community Development Corporation, Ka Lāhui Hawai‘i Political Action Committee, Ho‘omana Pono, LLC, Paukukalo Hawaiian Homes Community Association, Kewalo Hawaiian Homes Community Association, Pana‘ewa Hawaiian Home Lands Community Association, Kaupe‘a Homestead Association, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure. The Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies testified in opposition of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Specifying that appropriated funds shall be allotted to the Department of Home Lands to reimburse administrative and operating costs expensed by the Department's special and trust funds for fiscal year 2016;

     (2)  Specifying that the funds shall be deposited to the Hawaiian Home Administration Account to facilitate reimbursement of administrative and operating expenses paid by the Department's special and trust funds; and

     (3)  Changing the appropriation amount from $28,000,000 to an unspecified amount.

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $28,000,000 for the purpose of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1932, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1932, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KANIELA ING, Chair