STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1462-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.C.R. No. 104

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 104 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO RENAME THE RUSSIAN FORT ELISABETH STATE HISTORICAL PARK IN WAIMEA, KAUA‘I, AS "PA‘ULA‘ULA","

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Board of Land and Natural Resources to rename the Russian Fort Elisabeth State Historical Park in Waimea, Kaua‘i with the traditional Hawaiian place name, "Pa‘ula‘ula."

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; one member of the Kaua‘i County Council; Moku o Manokalanipō, the Kaua‘i Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Ke One O Kākuhihewa; the Oahu Council for the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo; and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the area currently known as Russian Fort Elisabeth State Historical Park is traditionally named "Pa‘ula‘ula." Your Committee also finds that the Russian-American Company played a brief and limited role in the area's history, and that the State Historical Park's current name is misleading. This measure seeks to revise the naming, signage, and interpretive documents of the State Historical Park to reflect its rich multicultural history, and to support the State Constitution's provisions promoting the study of Hawaiian culture, history, and language.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 104 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair