Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 10, 1 October 1997 — Joint Committee on Public Land Trust holds first meeting [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Joint Committee on Public Land Trust holds first meeting

ON AUG. 29, the joint committee established by HB 2207 (Act 329),held its first meeting. Sevenof the eight appointed members attended: Attomey General Margery Bronster and Lionel Tokioka, appointed by Govemor Cayetano; Senator Carol Fukunaga, appointed by Senate President Mizuguchi; Representatives Calvin Say and Ed Case , appointed by Speaker of the House Joe Souki; and, Trustees A. Frenchy DeSoto and Hannah Springer. appointed by OHA Chairman Clayton Hee. Senator Iwase represented Senator Malama Solomon, the eighth member of the committee, who was unahle to attend. The committee's purpose is to study and make recommendations on all outstanding and anticipated issues relating to the Public Land Trust, including whether lands should be transferred to OHA in partial or full satisfaction of past or future obligations under Article XH, Section 6 of Hawai'i's constitution. The committee, whieh ceases to exist on June 30, 1999, is responsible for conducting puhlie hearings throughout the state to facilitate discussions and formulate recommendations on issues within its purview and submittūig a progress report to the legislature 20 days before it convenes in 1998 and a iīnal report 20 days before it eonvenes in 1999. This first meeting was organizational. and members agreed to a) the use of designated altemates and staff: b) the use of informal ground rules; and e) to draw on the resources of the legislative auditor and the Legislative Reference Bureau to help them aeeomplish their tasks within the short timeframe. Representative Say agreed to serve as interim chair. Significant issues of discussion included: a) clarification that OHA's interim $15.1 million flat-rate payment. established by Act 329, expires on July 1 , 1999. If the legislature does not address this matter by then, OHA funding reverts back to the 20 percent formula; b) the progress report would simply cover where the committee stands at

the end of 1997, and highlight issues the committee resolved and/or discussed through 1997; e) clarification that the major work and decisions of the committee will eome between the '98 and '99 legislative session; d) Act 329, whieh requires the inventory and mapping of lands in the Public Land Trust and under the jurisdiction of DHHL, shall be completed one year after it is started, but no later i than Dec. 31, 1998; e) the "partitioning" or transfer of public lands, in lieu of payment of revenue due OHA, cannot be aeeomplished without completion of the inventory and mapping; and, f) DLNR and others will be invited to present information regarding the proposed inventory and mapping of public lands at the next meeting, whieh will be held Sept. 16. Before adjourning the meeting at 4 p.m., Representative Say noted that the * committee "has a long road ahead of us." I agree. At the end of that road, however, lies achievement of a long sought goal for all Hawaiians - an accurate identification of all lands covered by Section 5(f) of the Admission Act. For years, we Hawaiians have been unable to verify whether the revenues OHA receives from the state actually constitute 20 percent of the proprietary revenues generated from use of the ceded lands in the public land trust. I look forward to completion of this monumental task, so all of us ean rest assured, onee and for all, that the Hawaiian entitlement is administered properly by the State of Hawai'i. A hui hou ■ . 1

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