STAND. COM. REP. NO.2809

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2477

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2477, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to set forth the specifications for grants to be awarded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and to appropriate interim funds for its operations and grants.

Your Committee finds that legal actions have stalled the payment of public land trust revenues to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. However, your Committee recognizes the real needs of the Hawaiian community, and the assistance that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has been able to provide to meet them. Your Committee believes that the grant structure provided in this measure is appropriate and will allow the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to continue to fulfill its mission to assist Hawaiians and native Hawaiians.

Your Committee has amended this measure by defining the term "grant", allowing a grant recipient to be an individual, requiring grants to be evaluated annually, requiring applicants to comply with applicable county laws, and by making the amount of the appropriation blank to encourage continuing discussion. Your Committee also made technical nonsubstantive amendments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2477, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2477, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair