HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

198

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS TO CONVENE STAKEHOLDERS OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN-CULTURE-BASED HOOPONOPONO SERVICES.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, historically, Native Hawaiians have been overrepresented in the criminal justice system; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs documented this overrepresentation in a 2010 report entitled "The Disparate Treatment of Native Hawaiians in the Criminal Justice System"; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2011, the Twenty-Sixth Legislature passed S.B. 986, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1, which became Act 170, Session Laws of Hawaii 2011, and established the Native Hawaiian Criminal Justice Task Force to examine and make recommendations to alleviate the overrepresentation of Native Hawaiians in the criminal justice system; and

 

     WHEREAS, in its 2012 report, the Native Hawaiian Criminal Justice Task Force, among other recommendations, recommended that the State recognize and support community efforts to promote indigenous cultural models of restorative justice proven to be effective in rehabilitation; and

 

     WHEREAS, traditional Native Hawaiian practices such as hooponopono have demonstrated effectiveness in offender rehabilitation, as well as in community education, individual and public health, and family therapy; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs continues to work toward improving the condition of Native Hawaiians through research, direct services, programs, community outreach, education and training, prevention programs and services, and policy recommendations grounded in Native Hawaiian values and beliefs; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs can convene stakeholders rooted in cultural foundations, integrative services, and traditional practices such as hooponopono alongside state governmental authorities; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, the Senate concurring, that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is requested to convene stakeholders on capacity building, training, and the perpetuation of hooponopono in order to strengthen integrative public safety programs that can incorporate Native Hawaiian values, practices, families, and communities into public safety and other appropriate state government programming; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, or the Chief Executive Officer's designee, is requested to invite the following persons who, in turn, are requested to participate with the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Executive Officer's designee in the convening of stakeholders:

 

     (1)  The Director of Public Safety, or the Director's designee;

 

     (2)  The Director of Human Services, or the Director's designee;

 

     (3)  The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii, or the Chief Justice's designee;

 

     (4)  Representatives from other state agencies that have used or are interested in implementing hooponopono programs;

 

     (5)  The Executive Director of Papa Ola Lokahi, or the Executive Director's designee;

 

     (6)  Traditional practitioners who have expertise in hooponopono and its use in public systems;

 

     (7)  Representatives from community organizations who have expertise in culturally based values or correctional systems; and

 

     (8)  Representatives from any other entities the Office of Hawaiian Affairs deems necessary to invite; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is requested to develop models that support hooponopono as a traditional Native Hawaiian system of well-being and improve state prevention, intervention, or reintegration programs targeting Native Hawaiians; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is requested to submit findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2018; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; the Director of Public Safety; the Director of Human Services; the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii; the Governor; and the Executive Director of Papa Ola Lokahi.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Criminal Justice; Culture