Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 7, 1 July 2011 — KNOW THE ISSUE: State Recognition [ARTICLE]

KNOW THE ISSUE: State Recognition

This year, the Hawai'i State Legislature passed Senate Bill 1520, a bill that deals with the state recognition of Native Hawaiians. In visiting loeal high schools and talking with young Hawaiians, it is clear that you all have many eommon questions about state recognition and why it should be important to you. We've broken down all the infonnation to get you the facts on state recognition of Native Hawaiians. WHAĪISĪHESĪAĪE REC0GNITI0N BILL? The state recognition bill, SB 1520, does two things: 1) It recognizes Native Hawaiians as the only native, indigenous, maoli people of Hawai'i. This means we were the only people here before Western contact.

2) It creates the Native Hawaiian Roll Connnission. a) The connnission is a group of five people, chosen by Governor Abercrombie, who have the responsibility of preparing and maintaining a roll of qualified Native Hawaiians who want to participate in the reorganization of a Native Hawaiian goveinment. b) The qualifications for being on the roll are:

1) Being an offspring of someone bom in Hawai'i prior to 1778; or eligible for Hawaiian Homes, under the Hawaiian Homes Connnission Act of 1920, or an offspring of someone who is eligible; and 2) HavingaconnectiontotheNative Hawaiian connnunity; and

3) Being 18 years of age or older. OHA will fund and administer the Commission, but the Commission is its own entity. The decisions about who qualifies for the roll and how you prove it will ultimately be made by the Commission. OHA stands ready to assist it in any way it ean, including ancestry verification. WHYSHŪULD ITBEIMPŪRTANTTŪME? State recognition is an important step toward addressing issues created by the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and giving Native Hawaiians more control over our own future. For more information on state recognition, please visit www.oha. org/leg. ■