STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1017

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 717

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 717, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, with the assistance of the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, to create a digital database of its applicant, beneficiary, and lessee records.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee finds that while basic Department of Hawaiian Home Lands applicant waiting lists are available for download on its website, the exact details of each applicant, including whether the applicant has applied for multiple leases, been denied a prior lease, or been skipped over, are not readily accessible. Your Committee further finds that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands began implementing an electronic document imaging system in June 2013 that converted applicant and lessee records to digital media. This significantly improved accessibility to the electronic record system for Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' neighbor island offices. Your Committee also finds that digitizing Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' applicant, beneficiary, and lessee records will increase efficiency and improve access to these records.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 717, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 717, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education & Technology,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair