STAND. COM. REP. NO. 357

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 436

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 436 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAINING,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to administer a training course on native Hawaiian and Hawaiian rights for appropriate agencies and employees and to require members of certain state councils, boards, and commissions to complete the training.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Land Use Commission, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, King Kamehameha Hawaiian Civic Club, Koolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, Society for Hawaiian Archaeology, Hawaiian Green Growth, Kalihi Palama Hawaiian Civic Club, Kuaaina Ulu Aumao, Koolau Foundation, and nine individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies and Land Use Research Foundation.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that the program developed pursuant to this measure would provide an opportunity to ensure that key government policymakers understand their fiduciary obligation to the native Hawaiian people and culture.  In recognition that this measure is recommended to be referred for consideration by your Committee and Ways and Means, your Committees note that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is willing to develop and provide this training program to benefit government agencies and employees without any fiscal impact to the state budget.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 436 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Government Operations,

 

____________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

 

____________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair