STAND. COM. REP. NO.  181

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 209

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 209 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 appropriate funds for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) for the fiscal biennium beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2017 (FB 2015-2017).

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  One individual opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by deleting the appropriation amounts for beneficiary advocacy (OHA 175) to facilitate further discussion. 

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider the following appropriations:

(1)  $415,000 in general funds and $415,000 in trust funds for each year of FB 2015-2017 for social services to at-risk OHA beneficiaries to immediately address unexpected crises;

(2)  $615,000 in general funds and $615,000 in trust funds for each year of FB 2015-2017 for educational improvement programs for Native Hawaiian students;

(3)  $524,400 in general funds and $524,400 in trust funds for each year of FB 2015-2017 for legal services and legal representation to OHA beneficiaries;

(4)  $460,000 in general funds and $460,000 in trust funds for each year of FB 2015-2017 for health improvement services and programs to OHA beneficiaries;

(5)  $455,000 in general funds and $455,000 in trust funds for each year of FB 2015-2017 for housing improvement programs to OHA beneficiaries to increase the capacity of Native Hawaiians to attain housing stability; and

(6)  $455,000 in general funds and $455,000 in trust funds for each year of FB 2015-2017 for income improvement programs to OHA beneficiaries to increase the capacity of Native Hawaiians to obtain higher-wage employment.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 209, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 209, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KANIELA ING, Chair