CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 95

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2007

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1200

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir and Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the operating and capital improvement expenses of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for the fiscal biennium July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009.

 

     The budget for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has remained relatively stable over the past several years, and this measure maintains that stability.  In addition to several small housekeeping transfers within its budget, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has also requested additional funding for two programs--the Multi Service Project for Alu Like, Inc., and Na Pua No‘eau.

 

     Additional funding for these programs will enable the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to provide additional services to its target population.  Specifically, Alu Like, Inc., provides essential social services, community economic development, business assistance, employment preparation, training, library services, and educational and childcare services.  Also, the Na Pua No‘eau program nurtures leadership qualities in native Hawaiian children and offers educational programs that better prepare Hawaiian youth for the future.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has provided full funding for all of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' operating-budget initiatives.

 

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs requested that the $56,040,000 needed to construct a new office building and cultural center in Kakaako be shared between the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the State--with fifty per cent coming from its trust funds and the other fifty per cent from general obligation bond funds.  Your Committee on Conference supports the development of an office building for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and a cultural center to showcase and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture.  However, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has over $400,000,000 in trust funds at its disposal and receives annual payments from the State of at least $15,000,000.  Accordingly, your Committee on Conference has funded the project completely through the use of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' trust funds.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1200, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

____________________________

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Co-Chair

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Co-Chair