STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1869

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 172

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 172, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BUDGET OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Fiscal Biennium 2019-2021 operating budget of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Kamehameha Schools; The Queen's Health Systems; Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo; Kanu o ka ‘Āina Learning ‘Ohana; Oahu County Democrats Legislative Priorities Committee; The Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Prince Kūhiō Hawaiian Civic Club; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of the Auditor.

Your Committee finds that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a semi-autonomous state agency established by the Hawaii State Constitution whose mandate is to better the conditions of Native Hawaiians. Your Committee further finds that the appropriations made by this measure will help the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to fulfill this mandate.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amounts appropriated or authorized to the amounts proposed as the measure was introduced; and

(2) Making technical non-substantive changes for purposes of clarity and consistency.

Your Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Conference convened for this measure examine the general fund subsidy that is provided to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Specifically, your Committee notes that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs currently has a large, unused balance of trust funds under its control.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 172, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 172, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair