STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3943

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2511

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2511, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate the issuance of leases to individuals on the waitlist for Hawaiian home lands.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to submit to the Legislature annual reports 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 the fund; and

(2) Appropriates moneys 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 received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, two members of the Honolulu City Council, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Chamber of Sustainable Commerce, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Partners In Care, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the State, pursuant to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, has an obligation to set aside home lands to be used for the benefit of native Hawaiians. Accordingly, your Committee finds that the State should provide the means for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to make home lands available to the Department's beneficiaries, which will reduce the number of beneficiaries on the Department's waitlist.

Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with the contents of S.B. No. 3359, S.D. 2, a substantially similar measure.

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair