STAND. COM. REP. NO. 92

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 695

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 Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 695 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to digitize its applicant, beneficiary, and lessee records and appropriate funds for that purpose.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Kalamaula Homesteaders Association, and seven individuals.

Your Committee finds that the current waitlist for Hawaiian homelands leases has over twenty thousand applicants and applicants often wait years before receiving a lease offer. Your Committee further finds that digitizing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' applicant, beneficiary, and lessee records will increase the efficiency and transparency of this process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the source of the appropriation from the general fund to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' vacancy savings; and

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

Your Committee notes concerns raised by the Attorney General that changing the appropriation funding source from the general fund to department vacancy savings may present a separation of powers concern. Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Ways and Means to consider funding from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' base budget or deleting the appropriation language, since the Department has indicated that it is currently digitizing its records.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 695, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 695, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair