CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 165

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2009

 

RE:    H.B. No. 900

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir and Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 900, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds for the operating and capital improvement budget of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to support programs that benefit Hawaiians and native Hawaiians for the fiscal biennium July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2011.

 

     Realizing the sacrifices being made by all departments in light of the current economic situation, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs submitted testimony in support of a twenty per cent reduction to its general fund appropriation.  Your Committee is in agreement with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and reduced the general fund appropriation to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs by $617,415.

 

     The appropriation of general funds to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is contingent upon the transfer from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to the State, the State's share of the Hokulia settlement (Kelly v. Oceanside) legal fees plus interest.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees has agreed to transfer fifty per cent of the legal fees plus interest, which amounts to $1,241,615.

 

     Your Committee recognizes the importance of the services and advocacy the Office of Hawaiian Affairs provides its beneficiaries and finds that this measure is necessary to continue support of the programs benefitting Hawaiians and native Hawaiians.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 900, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 900, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair

 

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Co-Chair

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Co-Chair