STAND. COM. REP. NO. 473

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1083

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1083 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BURIAL SITES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to include additional native Hawaiian organizations for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to consult with to determine whether a burial site should be preserved in place or relocated and to develop a list of candidates for the burial councils.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state agency and two public citizens.  One state agency and one public citizen supported the intent, and one public citizen provided comments.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by one organization.  Written testimony presented to your Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that determining the appropriate treatment for Hawaiian burials requires specific expertise and consideration of all applicable information.  The intent of this measure is to be inclusive and seek a broad range of native Hawaiian organizations with expertise to provide information for the proper and respectful treatment of remains.  Your Committee recognizes that the Department of Land and Natural Resources already consults with members of these groups, and this measure will ensure that the Department of Land and Natural Resources continues to consult with these groups in a consistent way.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Including the Kanaka Council in the list of native Hawaiian organizations for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to consult with; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purpose of style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1083, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1083, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair