STAND. COM. REP. NO. 978

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 261

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 261, S.D. 1, 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 provide to beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, a monthly accountability report that includes an accounting of certain expenditures relating to leases and fiscal matters.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee finds that transparency and accountability in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which has certain trust responsibilities toward Native Hawaiian beneficiaries, are crucial for the fulfillment of those responsibilities. Your Committee also finds that the monthly accountability reports proposed by this measure may enhance transparency and accountability with regard to the Department's fiscal matters.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the 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 S.B. No. 261, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 261, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair