STAND. COM. REP. NO. 15

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 205

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 205 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BUDGET OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to fund the operating expenses of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for the fiscal biennium beginning on July 1, 2023, and ending on June 30, 2025.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a semi-autonomous state agency, established by Article XII, Section 4, Article XI, Section 5, of the Hawaii State Constitution; and Chapter 10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that is responsible for improving the well-being of native Hawaiians and Hawaiians. This measure appropriates funds for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' operating budget in support of plans for the upcoming biennium and is vital to fulfilling the mandates of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing the following dollar amounts with a blank amount:

(A) The program appropriation of $3,000,000 in general funds and $3,000,000 in trust funds for OHA175, beneficiary advocacy operating expenses;

(B) The allocation of $500,000 in general funds and $500,00 in trust funds for occupancy-ready housing needs of beneficiaries;

(C) The allocation of $415,000 in general funds and $415,000 in trust funds for social services;

(D) The allocation of $615,000 in general funds and $615,000 in trust funds for educational improvement programs for Native Hawaiian students;

(E) The allocation of $600,000 in general funds and $600,000 in trust funds for legal services and legal representation of beneficiaries;

(F) The allocation of $500,000 in general funds and $500,000 in trust funds for protections of aina; and

(G) The allocation of $370,000 in general funds and $370,000 in trust funds for ohana economic stability; 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 Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 205, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 205, 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