STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1676

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 149

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 149, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO REVISE ITS ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND POLICIES TO FACILITATE AND ENCOURAGE TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN BURIALS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to review, develop, and implement its administrative rules and policies to facilitate and encourage traditional Hawaiian burials.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Aha Moku Advisory Committee, Koolau Foundation, Koolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, Kalihi Palama Hawaiian Civic Club, Panaewa Hawaiian Home Lands Community Association, Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committee finds that traditional Hawaiian burial practices of reducing a corpse to na iwi (the bones) has been made safe, feasible, and cost effective through the use of modern technology.  In addition, traditional Hawaiian burial of na iwi is cleaner and more environmentally friendly than modern burial techniques that utilize chemicals.  Your Committee finds that the Department of Health does not currently have rules and policies governing traditional Hawaiian burial practices.  The implementation and adoption of such rules and policies would serve to facilitate and encourage the use of traditional Hawaiian burial practices.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Amending the title to request the Department of Health to review, develop, and implement rules and policies regarding traditional Hawaiian burial practices; and

 

     (2)  Inserting a definition of "traditional Hawaiian burial".

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 149, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor, in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 149, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair