STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1193-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2582

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. 2582, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the membership and responsibilities of the Public Land Trust Working Group established under Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022;

(2) Require the Working Group to submit four reports to the Legislature, as follows:

(A) By August 1, 2027, a first interim report regarding Act 178, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006 (Act 178), financial reporting and accounting;

(B) By December 1, 2027, a second interim report regarding the public land trust inventory;

(C) By June 1, 2028, a third interim report that includes a preliminary draft of findings and recommendations regarding Act 178 financial reporting and accounting and the public land trust inventory; and

(D) By October 1, 2028, a final report that includes proposed legislation; and

(3) Authorize the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to provide administrative support to the Working Group in coordination with a third-party consultant.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Purple Maiʻa Foundation; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that in 2022, the Legislature established the Public Land Trust Working Group to account for the public land trust inventory and public land trust revenues. This measure will help to ensure that the Working Group is able to complete its mandate and ultimately that Native Hawaiians receive their constitutional share of ceded land revenues generated by the public land trust.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the composition of the working group and clarifying that certain members will serve in an ex-officio, non-voting capacity;

(2) Requiring the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to appoint a chairperson of the working group, rather than having members elect a chairperson from among themselves;

(3) Clarifying the required contents of the first and second interim reports; 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. 2582, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2582, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair