STAND. COM. REP. NO.936

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 638

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 638 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide for the election of members of the Hawaiian Homes Commission.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Establishes qualifications for commission members;

(2) Requires commission members to be elected at a special election held in every odd-numbered year;

(3) Establishes voter qualifications;

(4) Defines commissioners' terms of office and procedures for filling vacancies;

(5) Requires geographical representation of commissioners;

(6) Provides that the commission members elect the Chairperson and appoint the Director of Hawaiian Home Lands; and

(7) Vests responsibilities for election of commission members with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee believes that the right of native Hawaiians and Hawaiian Home Lands lessees to self-determination dictates that members of the Hawaiian Homes Commission should be elected by beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act and their successors. This measure supports that right by authorizing the election of commission members who are native Hawaiians or successor lessees by voters who are native Hawaiians or successor lessees.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has made the following technical amendments to this bill by:

(1) Revising and clarifying that the election of commission members shall be elected at a special election held in conjunction with the general election in every even-numbered year to facilitate the election process;

(2) Changing the requirement, with respect to the Department of Hawaiian Homes Lands' responsibility for registering persons, at page 4, line 9, from all persons in "the county" to "each county"; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive corrections.

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. 638, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 638, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair