STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1815-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2640

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2640, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to provide beneficiaries on the waiting list the option of taking a cash award, payable from the Hawaiian Home Loan Fund, in lieu of a lease, which if exercised would result in removal from and loss of the right to return to the waiting list but continued entitlement to other rights provided by the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Malama Makua and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee considers, as a viable option for this measure, the imposition of a safeguard of a twenty-to-thirty-year waiting period on the waiting list before having the option of taking the cash award.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2640, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair