STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1305

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 133

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 133, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to fund the operating expenses of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for the fiscal biennium beginning on July 1, 2023, and ending on June 30, 2025.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee finds that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a semi-autonomous state agency established by the Hawaii State Constitution that is responsible for the betterment of conditions of native Hawaiians and Hawaiians. This measure appropriates funds for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' operating budget in support of its plans for the upcoming biennium and is vital to fulfilling the mandates of the Office.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank dollar amount for all appropriations of general funds and trust funds; and

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

Your Committee notes that although the appropriations are blank, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' testimony requests an appropriation of the following sums:

(1) $500,000 in general funds and $500,000 in trust funds for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum for fiscal year 2024-2025 for Office of Hawaiian Affairs beneficiaries for occupancy-ready housing needs;

(2) $415,000 in general funds and $415,000 in trust funds for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum for fiscal year 2024-2025 for social services, including referral services and case management, to at-risk Office of Hawaiian Affairs beneficiaries to immediately address unexpected crises;

(3) $615,000 in general funds and $615,000 in trust funds for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum for fiscal year 2024-2025 for educational improvement programs for Native Hawaiian students;

(4) $600,000 in general funds and $600,000 in trust funds for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum for fiscal year 2024-2025 for legal services and legal representation to Office of Hawaiian Affairs beneficiaries;

(5) $500,000 in general funds and $500,000 in trust funds for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum for fiscal year 2024-2025 for protections of ‘āina (land and water), including climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resiliency strategies and practices; and

(6) $370,000 in general funds and $370,000 in trust funds for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum for fiscal year 2024-2025 for ‘ohana (families and communities) economic stability.

Your Committee's intent in recommending this measure for passage is for the adjustments requested to be incorporated into the General Appropriations Act of 2023, or other appropriate legislative vehicle or to be adopted separately. As such, your Committee requests that your Committee on Ways and Means strongly consider incorporating the adjustments expressed by this measure to include any provisions necessary to effectuate its purpose and intent.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 133, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 133, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

________________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair