STAND. COM. REP. 910

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 1156

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1156 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to require the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) to establish and maintain a registry of all Hawaiians wherever they may reside.

OHA and a member of the OHA Board of Trustees testified in support of this bill. The Hawaiian Political Action Council of Hawaii opposed this measure.

OHA is responsible for the betterment of Hawaiians, regardless of blood quantum and without regard to where such persons may reside. To accomplish its mission, it is important that OHA identify and locate its beneficiaries. Since March 2002, individuals who can establish their lineal descent from the aboriginal peoples of Hawaii have been placed on OHA's Hawaii Registry and issued an identification card. Accordingly, this bill codifies this existing program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1156 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs,

 

____________________________

THOMAS WATERS, Acting Chair