STAND. COM. REP. NO. 804

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1323

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1323, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to develop a long-term strategic plan to eliminate the waiting list for a home land lease based on a comprehensive assessment of needs and resources of beneficiaries who are on the list.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee finds that thousands of native Hawaiian beneficiaries have died while on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands waiting list for a home land lease, and thousands of other beneficiaries are currently on the list, half of whom are more than sixty years old. Your Committee further finds that the State has a duty to make sufficient moneys available to fund leases for beneficiaries. Accordingly, your Committee believes that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands needs to strive to meet this goal, which, once achieved, will result in the eventual elimination of the waiting list.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

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 S.B. No. 1323, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1323, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair