STAND. COM. REP. NO.  594

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1489

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1489, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to address the disproportionate number of native Hawaiians who are homeless by requiring the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) to develop and implement a pilot program to establish a kanaka village for homeless native Hawaiians.

 

     The Kānaka Council Moku ō Keawe and Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly testified in support of this bill.  DHHL, the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA), and a concerned individual submitted comments.

 

     It is your Committee's belief that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has the fiscal wherewithal and initiative to establish the pilot program to assist homeless native Hawaiians.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Making OHA, instead of DHHL, as the agency that is designated to establish the kanaka villages;

 

     (2)  Expanding the scope of the pilot program to include the establishment of kanaka villages in areas in the State, rather than on a particular island;

 

     (3)  Having OHA as the lead agency to work collaboratively and in consultation with DHHL and HPHA to develop and implement the pilot program;

 

     (4)  Changing the effective date to upon its approval; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1489, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1489, H.D. 2.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair