STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1332

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 903

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 903, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Claims Review Working Group within the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to determine the processes for calculating future claims and negotiating a subsequent settlement against the State;

(2) Repeal the Public Land Trust Working Group established pursuant to Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, to determine the pro rata share of income and proceeds from the public land trust due annually to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the operating expenses of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

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

Your Committee finds that H.B. No. 1358, H.D. 3 (Regular Session of 2025), was previously passed by the House.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its contents and inserting the contents of H.B. No. 1358, H.D. 3, a measure that appropriates funds to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for the hiring of necessary staff and the purchase of equipment and professional services on behalf of the Public Land Trust Working Group; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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 S.B. No. 903, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 903, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and 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