STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1172

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.C.R. No. 189

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 189 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR, AND URGING THE INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC REPATRIATION OF, NATIVE HAWAIIAN ART, CULTURAL ITEMS, AND IWI KUPUNA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support and urge the international and domestic repatriation of Native Hawaiian art, cultural items, and iwi kupuna.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the black market trade of historic and cultural items constitutes one of the most persistent illegal trades in the world. Your Committee further finds that Native Hawaiian art, cultural items, iwi kupuna, and other historic artifacts, including the approximately five thousand items determined to be missing from Iolani Palace, have been subject to illegal theft and transfer out of the State. This measure seeks to address the loss of these important historical and cultural items by urging the international and domestic repatriation of these items.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Should your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs consider this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider including an appropriate representative from the European Union as a recipient of a certified copy of this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 189, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 189, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair