STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3258

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 163

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 163 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING AND HONORING THE LIFE OF ROBERT WILLIAM KALANIHIAPO WILCOX, AN ENDURING PATRIOT AND ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF NATIVE HAWAIIANS, WHO SERVED AS HAWAII'S FIRST ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to commemorate and honor the life of Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; and eight individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from three individuals.

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Wilcox was Hawaii's first elected representative to the United States Congress and was a leader to the Hawaiian people throughout the radical changes in Hawaii's government occurring in his lifetime.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding information about Mr. Wilcox's successful lobbying effort in Congress to grant universal voting rights for men in the legislation that would become the 1900 Hawaiian Organic Act, to ensure that Native Hawaiian interests were adequately represented in the Territory of Hawaii government;

     (2)  Adding information about Mr. Wilcox's support for Hawaii becoming a state of the Union to ensure greater local control of Hawaii's government;

     (3)  Acknowledging that Mr. Wilcox may serve as an inspiration in contemporary times in advocacy efforts for Native Hawaiian self-governance in various and multiple forums; and

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

     Your Committee notes the testimony of Mr. Wilcox's family in support of this measure and providing direct historical background of Mr. Wilcox.  Your Committee also notes the testimony of Kaulana Keli‘i Bonnet stating that this measure could be "an important step toward reconciliation with the Hawaiian people and the healing of our nation."

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 163, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 163, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair