STAND. COM. REP. NO. 467-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2584

H.D. 1

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. 2584 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC LAND TRUST,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to temporarily increase the total amount of public land trust revenues transferred to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, while reaffirming the State's obligation to the twenty percent pro rata share pursuant to the Hawaii State Constitution.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Purple Maiʻa; Kūpuna for the Moʻopuna; Hoʻomana Pono, LLC; Koʻolauloa Hawaiian Civic Club; Kalihi-Palama Hawaiian Civic Club; Hawaiʻi District United Methodist Church Acts of Repentance Task Force; Nā Alakaʻi o ʻAhahui o Hawaiʻi; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that this measure temporarily increases the amount of public land trust revenues transferred to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to ensure continuity and stability in programs serving Native Hawaiian communities during a period of federal funding uncertainty. Your Committee further finds that the measure reaffirms the State's constitutional and fiduciary obligation to provide the twenty percent pro rata share of public land trust revenues to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, while allowing additional time for the Public Land Trust Working Group to complete its review and develop long-term recommendations regarding the administration of trust revenues.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to take into consideration the findings of the interim report of the Public Land Trust Working Group regarding the appropriate amount of annual payments to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and take urgent action to select a temporary increase to the annual payment sufficient to satisfy the required twenty percent share of public land trust revenues.

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. 2584, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2584, 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