STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1189-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2047

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2047, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE AHA MOKU ADVISORY COMMITTEE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the process for the hiring of the Executive Director of the Aha Moku Advisory Committee;

(2) Specify that the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources is responsible for the appointment, oversight, and administrative authority over the Executive Director of the Aha Moku Advisory Committee;

(3) Require any formal position, recommendation, or advisory action of the Aha Moku Advisory Committee to be adopted at a duly noticed public meeting at which a quorum is present; and

(4) Amend the reporting requirements of the Aha Moku Advisory Committee.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Hoʻāla Kealakekua Nui, Inc.; Kalanihale; Pōkaku Pelemaka; and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Aha Moku Advisory Committee is tasked with utilizing Hawaiian knowledge and modern natural resource management practices to protect, conserve, and manage Hawaii's unique environmental and cultural resources. Your Committee further finds that section 171-4.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which establishes the Advisory Committee, has not been updated since 2012. Your Committee recognizes that revisions to the statute are necessary to set and clarify accountability and transparency standards as well as to ensure that the Advisory Committee fulfills annual reporting and open meeting requirements. This measure provides needed updates to the Aha Moku Advisory Committee to ensure its effectiveness and promote accountability.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Making the position of Executive Director of the Aha Moku Advisory Committee permanently exempt from the Civil Service Law;

(2) Clarifying the number of members that constitute a quorum and that is needed to approve any action of the Aha Moku Advisory Committee;

(3) Clarifying the transition process, including a holdover authorization and restriction on the existing Executive Director and a recruitment process for an individual that meets the requirements established under this measure; 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 H.B. No. 2047, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2047, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair