Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 10, 1 October 2014 — KEITH-AGARAN, GIL S. COLOMA DEMOCRAT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KEITH-AGARAN, GIL S. COLOMA DEMOCRAT

Q1. AsHouse Judiciary Committee chair, I moved the Kaka'ako Makai land-transfer bill (SB 2783, whirh hpramp

Act 15 2012) unamended, as OHA leaders urged. I would have been open to considering proposals suggested by State Senators concerned about the values in relation to the amounts in dispute, to allow greater flexibility in the uses allowed on the Kaka'ako Makai parcels. While in recent legislative sessions, OHA did support legislation allowing development exemptions for its parcels, growing Kaka'ako resident and general eommunity concerns over the paee and scope of Kaka'ako development maele passing such bills difficult. I would be supportive of bills that would facilitate OHA's plans for their property holdings, but OHA needs to build some sup-

port from community members for any exceptions from the existing development limitations forthose parcels. I've previously supported broadening OHA's authority to use bonds (Act 146 2009 [HB 899]) for its projects. Q2. I will support the direction and timing of nation building that the Native Hawaiian eommunity wants to pursue, taking into account the plaee and relationship of Hawai'i's non-indigenous residents in such nation. I supported Act 195 2011, whieh recognized Native Hawaiians as the "only indigenous, aboriginal, maoli population of Hawaii" and whieh created the Roll Commission. If further legislation is reguired to support efforts, then I would be generally inclined to support such bills and funding if that's what Native Hawaiian leaders, Homestead groups, and cultural organizations and eommunities reguest.

STATE SENATE 5 WAILUKU, WAIHE'E, KAHULUI