STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1039

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1451

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1451 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE HOLIDAYS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal President's Day as a state holiday and establish Lā Kū‘oko‘a, Hawaiian Recognition Day, as an official state holiday.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Prince Kūhiō Hawaiian Civic Club, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, INPEACE, Bishop Museum, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Kamehameha Schools, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the first official celebration of Hawaiian Recognition Day, Lā Kū‘oko‘a, was in 1847 to recognize and celebrate the anniversary of Hawai‘i's welcome into the family of nations. Lā Kū‘oko‘a was celebrated for decades and was among the codified list of national holidays enacted by the Republic of Hawai‘i in 1896. Your Committee further finds that establishing Lā Kū‘oko‘a as an official holiday restores important connections to Hawai‘i's rich cultural and political heritage and is a means to honor and learn from Hawai‘i's socially progressive history.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Repealing Good Friday, instead of President's Day, as a state holiday; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1451, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1451, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair