STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3231

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 162

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 162 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PUBLIC LAND TRUST REVENUES NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a public land trust revenues negotiating committee to discuss the monies that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is to receive as its pro rata portion of the public land trust.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and four individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committees find that Act 178, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, was not intended to be the final resolution to the issue of the pro rata portion of the public land trust that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is to receive.  Your Committees further find that this measure will advance the process of resolving this issue between the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the State.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by correcting its description of Act 15, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, as a settlement of the claims of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs instead of a settlement of "monies owed" to the Office.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 162, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 162, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs,

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair