STAND. COM. REP. NO. 396

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 952
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, and Hawaiian Affairs, to
which was referred S.B. No. 952 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES
     COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide for an elected
Hawaiian Homes Commission to oversee the Department of Hawaiian
Home Lands.

     The measure provides that commissioners would be elected in
a special election held in conjunction with the general election
for four year terms.  To ensure that there is continuity on the
elected commission, the measure requires that in the inaugural
special election, the four commissioners with the highest vote
totals will serve for four year terms.  The other two
commissioners will serve for two years.

     The measure also empowers the elected commission to elect
its chairperson and to appoint the director of the department.

     Testimony in support of the measure was received from the
Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Association of Hawaiian Civic
Clubs, the Nanakuli Hawaiian Homestead Community Association, the
Ahupua`a O Moloka`i, and a private citizen.  The Department of
Hawaiian Home Lands, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, the
State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations, the Waimanalo
Hawaiian Homes Association, the Waimea Hawaiian Homesteaders'

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 396
                                   Page 2


Association, and two concerned private citizens supported the
measure with reservations.

     The Kawaihae Hawaiian Homes Community Association opposed
the measure's passage.  The Office of Elections submitted
comments on the measure.

     Your Committee has amended the measure by;

     (1)  Adding a provision that enables successors of lessees
          to be Hawaiian Homes Commission candidates and to vote
          in the election of commissioners; and

     (2)  Making technical amendments for the purpose of clarity

     Your Committee believes that an elected Hawaiian Homes
Commission would be more truly representative of the
beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust, thereby making
the Commission more responsive to the needs of its constituency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Water, Land, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached
to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.B. No. 952, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B.
No. 952, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair

 
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