Bill > SB2538

This bill aims to strengthen Island Burial Councils, which are crucial for protecting ancestral remains, by addressing issues like vacancies and uncompensated service that have hindered their effectiveness, particularly on smaller islands where they often struggle to meet quorum. Specifically, the bill extends the timeframe for filling vacancies on these councils from thirty business days to seventy-five calendar days, allows council members representing geographic regions to receive a stipend for attending meetings, and revises the quorum requirement to be a majority of appointed members, with a minimum of three members needed to conduct business. These changes are intended to improve recruitment and retention of council members and ensure these bodies can effectively fulfill their responsibilities in safeguarding culturally significant burial sites and advising on matters concerning Native Hawaiian ancestral remains, known as iwi kupuna.