STAND. COM. REP. NO.233

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 1150

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1150 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide for the biennium budget of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA).

Testimony in support of this measure was received from OHA, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and Friends of Mokuula, Inc. Testimony in opposition as received from one individual.

Your Committee finds that while that use of funds from the public land trust for the betterment of native Hawaiians remains a paramount concern to the people of Hawaii, the beneficiaries of those public land trust revenues represent less than a majority of Hawaiians. The betterment of the conditions of Hawaiians, as generally defined in section 10-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is also a vital public purpose and for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to carry out its mandated purpose, an appropriation of general funds is necessary.

Your Committee further finds that it is consistent with the constitutional and statutory mandate given to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs that the Legislature provide funding for programs and the cost of administering such programs to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The general fund appropriations called for herein is intended to be supplemented with trust funds administered by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1150 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

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COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair