STAND. COM. REP. NO. 732

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 606

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 606, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the sunset date of the Act 279 Special Fund to June 30, 2028;

(2) Deposit funds into the Act 279 Special Fund and appropriate funds out of the Special Fund for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to address its waitlist; and

(3) Require the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to submit a strategic plan to the Legislature detailing the anticipated uses of the funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Malu ʻAina; Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; Kupaʻa Lāhui Alliance; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022 (Act 279), appropriated $600,000,000 to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to provide a multi-pronged approach to reducing its applicant waitlist. Your Committee further finds that Act 125, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024 (Act 125), moved the unexpended and unencumbered funds to a special fund so that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands could continue the progress made by Act 279. Act 125 is set to sunset on June 30, 2026. This measure extends the sunset date of the Act 279 Special Fund to allow for the Department to take full use of the monies appropriated by Act 279.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an effective date of January 1, 2026.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 606, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair