STAND. COM. REP. NO. 483

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1108

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1108 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATIVE HAWAIIANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the sunset date of the ‘Aha Kiole Advisory Committee to 2011.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by four private organizations and one public citizen.  Testimony in support of the measure, with comments or suggestions, was submitted by one private organization.  Testimony in opposition to the measure was submitted by one state agency and one private individual.  Comments were submitted by one state department.  Written testimony presented to your Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the ‘Aha Kiole Advisory Committee (AKAC) was created in 2007 to create a system of best practices based upon the indigenous resource management practices of traditional moku (regional) boundaries that acknowledges the natural contours of land and the specific resources located within those areas.  Even with limited resources, the AKAC has been working diligently with moku representatives and ahupua‘a communities since that time, to restore the Aha Moku System state-wide.  Your Committee finds that this restored system will provide valuable aid to the State in our goal of ecosystem sustainability in Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that more time is needed by the AKAC to continue and complete its important work, as outlined in the 2009 Legislative Report submitted to the Legislature by the AKAC.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that extending the sunset date of the AKAC is in the public's best 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. 1108 and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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