STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1309-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2289

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2289, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KALAUPAPA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Health to include in its annual report regarding Kalaupapa Settlement:

(A) Details and updated information, as available, regarding the permanent transfer to other governmental or qualified nongovernmental entities of the powers and duties of state agencies over Kalaupapa Settlement; and

(B) Community engagement efforts with community stakeholders; and

(2) Sunset the measure on the first June 30th after the Revisor of Statutes receives a written gubernatorial proclamation that the transfer of the Department's powers and duties over Kalaupapa Settlement is complete.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Ka ʻOhana O Kalaupapa; and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Health and other government agencies have been meeting for years about the transfer of the Kalaupapa Settlement to another entity when there is no longer a living community but thus far have not included Molokai community voices in the transition team or discussions about the eventual transfer. This measure seeks to make the transition planning process more transparent and inclusive of the communities most likely to be affected by the transfer.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying language regarding the permanent transfer of the powers and duties of the Kalaupapa Settlement to other qualified governmental agencies or qualified nongovernmental entities;

(2) Clarifying language regarding the immediate addition of Ka Ohana O Kalaupapa to the executive transition team;

(3) Deleting the sunset provision; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2289, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2289, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair