Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 1, 1 October 1980 — FACT SHEET [ARTICLE]

FACT SHEET

ORIGIN OF QFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS WHAT IS THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS? The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, or OHA, is a newly established office whieh will be operational after the 1 980 General Election and will coordinate services and programs for all Hawaiian people. A special Office of Hawaiian Affairs Election will be held on November, 4, 1 980 in conjunction with the 1980 General Election, to elect a Board of Trustees whieh will govern the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. HOW WAS THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS EST ABLISHED? The 1978 Constitutional Convention wrote a new Article XII forthe Hawaii State Constitution entitled "Hawaiian Affairs". Sections 4, 5, and 6 of Article XII eoneem the establishment of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. In the 1 978 General Election, the voters approved the amendment. The 1 979 Legislature implemented the new Constitutional provisions through the passage of House Bill 890 (H.D. 1 , s;£i.D. 3, C.D. 1) whieh was signed into law by Govemor " Oeorge Ariyoshi on June 7, 1979, and became Act 196. PURPOSE OF OHA WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS? As described in House Bill 890, whieh provides for the powers. duties and functions of the office, OHA will promote "the betterment of conditions" for all Hawaiian people. Other established purposes of OHA include: • serving as the piineipal State agency responsible for the performance, de velopment and coordination of programs and activities relating to native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, with the exception of the programs of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, whieh will remain separate; • assessing the policies and practices of other agencies affecting Hawaiians and native Hawaiians, andconducting advocacy efforts for them; • applying for, receiving, and disbursing grants and donations for Hawaiians programs and services; and • serving as a receptacle for possible reparations from the Federal Government. DEFINITION OF "HAWAIIAN" WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "NATIVE HAWAIIAN" and "HAWAIIAN"? House Bill 890 includes the definitions of "Native Hawaiian" and "Hawaiian" whieh the Constitutional Convention adopted, but whieh the State Supreme Court mled not validly ratified by the voters. "Native Hawaiian" remains as defined in the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, meaning "a descendant of not less than one-half part of the races inhabiting the Hawaiian Islands previous to 1778". "Native Hawaiians", being those of 50% or more Hawaiian blood, are thus eligible for Hawaiian Homes Commission benefits. "Hawaiian" is defined as "any descendant of the aboriginal peoples inhabiting the Hawaiian Islands whieh exercised sovereignty and subsisted in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, and whieh peoples thereafter have continued to reside in Hawaii." In accordance with the law, the Hawaiian Homes Commission serves the concerns of "Native Hawaiians," (those with 50% or. more Hawaiian blood), whereas the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is mandated to work for the benefit of anyone of Hawaiian ancestry. FUNDING OF OHA HOW WILL THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS BE FUNDED? A pro rata portion of all the funds and revenues derived from the public land trust will be appropriated in an amount determined by the Legislature and held and used solely by the

Office of Hawaiian Affairs. If land or money should eome from the Federal Government as reparations for the loss of Hawaiian sovereignty, it would become part of the trust administered by OHA. OHA BOARD OF TRUSTEES HOW WILL THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS BE ADMINISTERED? The Office of Hawaiian Affairs will be govemed by a ninemember Board of Tmstees, whieh will appoint an Administrator to execute Board policy. HOW WILL THE BOARD OFTRUSTEES BE ELECTED? Nine persons of Hawaiian ancestry will be elected statewide by registered Hawaiian voters. At least one Board member will reside on eaeh of the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Kauai, and Oahu. The remaining four at-large members may reside on any island. The four Board members receiving the highest number of votes in the 1 980 election will serve for four years and the remaining five members will serve for two years. In 1982, five members will be elected. Every two years thereafter, an OH A Election will be held for candidates who will serve four year terms. The Board, at its first meeting after the election, will elect from its membership, a chairperson and a vice-chairperson who will serve a term of two years. HOW OFTEN WILL THE BOARDOF TRUSTEES MEET? Meetings will be called and held as often as may be necessary for transaction of the Board's business. The Board will meet at leat onee annually on eaeh of the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Kauai, and Oahu. HOW MUCH WILL THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BE PAID? The Administrator, who will be appointed by the Board, will receive an annual salary of 830.000. Members of the Board of Trustees will receive compensation at the rate of $50 per day while at meetings. They will also receive transportation costs between the islands and per diem for personal expenses. HOW LONG A TERM WILL THE ADMINISTRATOR SERVE? The Administrator will serve a term determined by the Board. The Board, by a two-thirds majority vote, may remove the Administrator for cause at any time. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POWERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF OHA? OH A will be a separate entity independent of the executi ve branch, whose powers under the Board of Trustees will include: • formulating of policy relating to the affairs of Hawaiians; • providing grants for pilot projects and demonstrations, and giving financial and technical assistance to agencies and private organizations conducting programs; • developing and implementing a comprehensive master plan; • compiling demographic data; • identifying physical, sociological, psychological and eeonomie needs; • conducting research; • assisting in development of state and county agency plans for Hawaiian programs and services; • acting as a clearinghouse and referral service for Hawaiians and for application for federal or state assistance: and • promoting and assisting in the establishment of agencies to serve all Hawaiians. WHO WILL CARRY OUT THE OFFICE FUNCTIONS OF OHA? The Administrator is authorized to employ and retain the officers and employees who will be necessary to carry out the functions of the office; subject to approval of the Board of Trustees.

OHA BOARD OF TRUSTEES F,LECTION WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDUCTING THE OHA BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTION? The law says that the OHA Election will be held as a Speeial Election in conjunction with the General Election. It is the responsibility of the Office of the Lieutenant Govemor to ran the election, and with the County Clerks, to provide information and register Hawaiian voters. WHEN WILL THE FIRST OHA ELECTION BE HELD? The first OHA election will be held together with the General election on Tuesday, November 4, 1980. WHO CAN VOTE? To vote, Hawaiians must first register with the clerk of the county in whieh they reside, or at designated locations throughout the State. WHO CAN REGISTER? A person who registers to vote in the OHA Election must be all of the following: • of Hawaiian ancestry • a resident of the State of Hawaii • a citizen of the United States, and • 18 years of age by November 5, 1980 ABSENTEE VOTING You may vote by absentee ballot in the OHA election if: • you have registered to vote in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Tmstees Election; and • you are absent from the island, county, or district in whieh you are registered on the day of election; or • you are confined in a hospital or a public institution for the care of indigents or aged persons; or • you are confined in a penal institution for a misdemeanor or as a pretrial detainee; or • you are confined at home because of illness or physical disability; or • you are prevented from attending the polls because of religious beliefs; or • you live in a remote area more than 10 miles from your polling plaee; or • you have other legitimate reasons not mentioned above for not being able to attend the polls, subject to approval by the Clerk's Office. VOTING IN PERSON WHO CAN BE A CANDIDATE IN THE OHA ELECTION? To be a candidate one must be registered to vote in the OH A Election. If seeking a seat where residency on a particular island is a requirement, the candidate must be a resident of that island. HOW CAN I CONTACT THE CAMPA1GN SPENDING COMMISSION? The Campaign Spending Commission is in the State Capitol, Room436. Forinformationon spendinglimits and reductionoffilingfees,telephonethemat 548-541 1. From the neighbor islands, eall toll-free number, Enterprise 5406. FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE OHA ELECTION WHERE MAY I CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OHA? Information is available by calling the Office of the Lieutenant Govemor, Elections Division at 548-2517, or the County Clerks. County Clerks' Offices may be reached at these numbers: City and County of Honolulu 523-4293 Hawaii County 961-8277 Kauai County 245-4785 Maui County 244-7825 OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR VOTER EDUCATION July 1979 t ... 1 t ... I ..... t , V *. ' . - ■