STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1025-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2511

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2511, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaiian Home Lands Special Fund and appropriate $600,000,000 to enable beneficiaries of the Hawaiian home lands trust to acquire a residence and to enable the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to fulfill its fiduciary duties to beneficiaries.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the one member of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; two members of the Maui County Council; Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; Maika‘i Kamakani ‘O Kohala, Incorporated; Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Family Promise of Hawaii; Hawai‘i Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development; Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; ‘Ōhi‘a Technology Group; Spoehr Foundation; Hawaii Habitat for Humanity Association; The Mama Loa Foundation; Waimea Hawaiian Civic Club; Papa Ola Lokahi; ‘Aha Pūnana Leo; Napualei O Hina; Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce; Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo; ‘Aha Ho‘ona‘auao ‘Ōiwi Hawai‘i Native Hawaiian Education Council; Kamehameha Schools; Hawai‘i Community Lending; Hawaiian Community Assets; Kanaeokana; Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii; Iolani Palace; The Queen's Health Systems; ‘Ahahui o nā Kauka; Aloha ‘Āina Legal Group LLLC; Wai‘anae Economic Development Council; Kawaiaha‘o Church; Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Maui/Lana‘i Mokupuni Council; Ohana Program Foundation; and numerous 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 the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Department of Budget and Finance, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Ko‘olau Foundation, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, and four individuals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the establishment of, and appropriation of funds into and out of, the Hawaiian Home Lands Special Fund;

(2) Appropriating $600,000,000 into and out of the Native Hawaiian Rehabilitation Fund for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to fulfill its fiduciary duties to beneficiaries, specifying the authorized uses of the funds, and requiring the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to submit an annual report to the Legislature on the use of the funds; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2511, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2511, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair