STAND. COM. REP. NO. 919

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 728

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 728, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the maximum amount of public funds available to each candidate running for the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and

(2) Increase the amount each Board of Trustee candidate must raise in order to qualify for public funds.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committees find that candidates for the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs are elected statewide by qualified voters in the State. Despite at-large Board of Trustee candidates having to run a statewide campaign, similar to other statewide offices, Board of Trustee candidates only receive partial public funding at a lower rate than other statewide offices. This measure will provide more equality in the allocation of public funding to candidates running statewide campaigns and encourage more individuals to enter as a candidate for the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 728, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair