STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1126-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 3109

S.D. 1

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3109, 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 of this measure is to give practical effect to the intent of the Legislature that funds appropriated in Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, be available for expenditure until June 30, 2025, by lapsing previously appropriated funds and reauthorizing funds for fiscal year 2024-2025.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and Department of Budget and Finance. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022 (Act 279), appropriated $600,000,000 to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to provide a multi-pronged approach to reducing its applicant waiting list. The intent was for these funds to be available until June 30, 2025, at which point all unencumbered funds would lapse back to the general fund. Your Committee recognizes that the Department of the Attorney General has since opined that the funds appropriated under Act 279 are only available until June 30, 2024, pursuant to the Hawaii State Constitution. This measure would ensure that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has another year to expend or encumber any remaining funds appropriated under Act 279.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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. 3109, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3109, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair