Bill > HB1358

This bill appropriates funds to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) to support the Public Land Trust Working Group's efforts to comprehensively account for and evaluate ceded lands and their associated income. The bill highlights a long-standing constitutional and historical obligation for the State of Hawaii to provide 20% of public land trust income to OHA for the betterment of Native Hawaiians, stemming from events like the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and Hawaii's admission to the Union in 1959. The working group aims to conduct a thorough inventory of public lands, verify income streams, and commission independent third-party professionals to audit and evaluate the current land information system and revenue reporting practices. The legislature found significant gaps in previous land and financial reporting, including a lack of comprehensive land inventories, unaudited self-reported agency data, and incomplete tracking of lands and revenues. The appropriation, estimated at approximately $1,000,000, will allow OHA to hire staff, purchase equipment, and retain experts to conduct a comprehensive review of public land trust lands and income, with the ultimate goal of ensuring Native Hawaiians receive their constitutionally mandated pro rata share of land trust proceeds. The bill includes a provision exempting OHA from standard state procurement rules when obtaining uniquely qualified services.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1358&year=2026