CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 22-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 3123

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 3123, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ACCESS TO VITAL RECORDS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to access vital records for purposes of verifying Native Hawaiian ancestry for beneficiary programs; and

(2) Require the Department of Health and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement to assure appropriate access and handling of confidential records and sealed records that have been unsealed pursuant to court order.

Your Committee on Conference finds that Department of Hawaiian Home Lands staff currently requests genealogical research services for claimants of native Hawaiian beneficiary status on an individual basis. Your Committee on Conference further finds that authorizing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands staff to work alongside Department of Health staff would greatly accelerate the process. This measure will therefore ease the administrative burden on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands staff conducting genealogical research to determine eligibility for certain programs, including Hawaiian Home Lands homestead leases.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3123, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3123, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Chair	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Chair
	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Co-Chair
	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair