Bill > HR118

This resolution requests the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish a collaborative working group to address the critical issue of Native Hawaiian burial sites (iwi kupuna) being exposed by coastal erosion. The working group would include representatives from various state and county agencies, such as the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, State Historic Preservation Division, and representatives from each county. The group's primary objectives are to survey and identify culturally sensitive shorelines impacted by erosion, develop a process to protect exposed iwi kupuna, assess public lands for potential reinterment sites, and explore funding methods for constructing secure and culturally appropriate reinterment vaults. The resolution emphasizes the cultural and historical significance of these burial sites, noting that many Native Hawaiian iwi were historically interred along shoreline areas now threatened by erosion. The working group is requested to submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature prior to the 2026 Regular Session, highlighting the urgency and importance of preserving these sacred ancestral remains.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HR&billnumber=118&year=2025