CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 255-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2511

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2511, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to provide funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to pursue a multi-pronged approach to eliminating its waitlist. Specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to submit annual reports to the Legislature regarding expenditures from the Native Hawaiian Rehabilitation Fund and the number of beneficiaries removed from the waitlist for Hawaiian home lands through the use of funds from the Native Hawaiian Rehabilitation Fund; and

(2) Appropriates $600,000,000 into and out of the Native Hawaiian Rehabilitation Fund for:

(A) Hawaiian home lands lots and related projects; and

(B) Down payment assistance and mortgage payment assistance to Department of Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Appropriating $600,000,000 to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for certain purposes, instead of into and out of the Native Hawaiian Rehabilitation Fund;

(2) Authorizing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to prioritize and determine the amount of assistance according to the income or receipt of other funds by the applicant or qualified relative, including wages, litigation settlement proceeds, and other monies received by the applicant or qualified relative;

(3) Requiring the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to develop a strategic plan to address applicant preferences reflected in the 2020 Beneficiaries Study Applicant Report;

(4) Amending the requirements for the annual report from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands;

(5) Inserting a severability clause;

(6) Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2511, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2511, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Chair	____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA Co-Chair
____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Co-Chair	____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE Co-Chair
____________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN Co-Chair