Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 3, 1 March 2013 — HOUSE, SENATE VOTE TO REPEAL PLDC [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOUSE, SENATE VOTE TO REPEAL PLDC

By Garett Kamemoto Both houses of the state Legislature have approved proposals to repeal the Puhlie Land Development Corp. In the state House of Representatives, the repeal plan passed unanimously after several lawmakers took to the floor to eall the PLDC a mistake. In the Senate, a bill to repeal the corporation passed with little fanfare. No one rose to speak before the vote was cast. The PLDC was designed to create public-private partnerships to develop underutilized state land. However, the corporation eame under fire for broad exemptions to state and county land-use regulations. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs submitted testimony saying the PLDC did not provide adequate protections forNative Hawaiian tra-

ditional and customary practices. Puhlie backlash by environmental, Native Hawaiian and other activists convinced lawmakers to scrap the agency altogether rather than to attempt to rewrite the law. While both houses voted to repeal the corporation, significant differences remain between the House and Senate versions of the bill. For the repeal to fully take effect, lawmakers will have to work out their differences before the legislation would go to the governor for his signature.

MEDICAL SCH00L PR0GRAMS John A. Burns School of Medieine students asked state legislators to fund programs to address the shortage of primary care physicians through programs that help disadvantaged students in college. SB 665 would support the 'Imi Ho'ōla Program, a post-baccalaureate, labor-intensive pre-medical school preparatory program for disadvantaged students, and the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence, whieh help the medical school produce more primary care providers while simultaneously boosting the numbers of Native Hawaiians in the heahh professions. 'Imi Ho'ōla graduate Jolene Gollero told lawmakers in her prepared testimony the program "reinforced my connection to the Native Hawaiian community." She added,

"Having the experience to go out into the community and experience these populations really gave me the sense I could make a difference and give back to the communities where I eame from." More than 220 'Imi Ho'ōla alumni have graduated from the school of medicine. According to testimony submitted by JABSOM, 38 percent of the graduates are Native Hawaiian, 85 percent are providing primary care services and 96 percent are practicing in underserved or disadvantaged areas. The university supports the intent of the bill as long as it does not adversely affect other priorities. Versions of the bill have been approved by the heahh committees in both houses of the Legislature. ■

LEGISLATIVE SESSIŪN