STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2113

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2524

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2524 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ISLAND BURIAL COUNCILS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Governor to waive the requirements that the Molokai Island Burial Council membership include geographic region, development, and large property owner representatives.

 

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by two state agencies.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     The Molokai Island Burial Council in recent years has been unable to meet the minimum ratio and membership requirements which apply to all burial councils.  The inability of the Molokai Island Burial Council to meet and operate has effectively disabled the only process for redress for the native Hawaiian community to properly and legally pursue the appropriate identification, treatment, and protection of their ancestral burial sites.  Your Committee finds that the geographic region requirement will become increasingly difficult to fulfill with regard to Kalaupapa, as the residents continue to age.  This measure will ensure that the interested, active young people of Molokai that are willing to serve, have that opportunity.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the Governor may waive all requirements for Molokai representatives including geographic region and development and large property owner interests.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2524, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2524, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair