STAND. COM. REP. NO.  530

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 451

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 451 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure long-term tenancies to the beneficiaries and the successors of beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, by reducing the minimum Hawaiian blood quantum requirement of certain successors to lessees of Hawaiian Home Lands from one quarter to one thirty-second.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Kailapa Community Association, Keokea Homestead Farm Lots Association, Molokai Homestead Farmer's Alliance, Waiohuli Undivided Interest Association, Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homelands Assembly, Molokai Hawaiian Homelands Kupuna Committee, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies testified in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 451, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 451, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair