THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

175

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF AWARDING UNDIVIDED LEASE INTERESTS IN HAWAIIAN HOME LAND TRACTS TO BENEFICIARIES WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN AWARDED HAWAIIAN HOMESTEAD LEASES.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, is intended to enable native Hawaiians to return to their lands and become self-sufficient by granting them leases for Hawaiian home lands; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act provides that the beneficiaries of the Hawaii Homes Commission Act shall be individuals of at least one-half Hawaiian ancestry; and

 

     WHEREAS, approximately 12,750 beneficiary households have leases for and live on Hawaiian homestead lands; and

 

     WHEREAS, if a beneficiary dies while the beneficiary is a lessee of a tract of Hawaiian homestead land, the lessee's spouse, child, grandchild, brother, or sister may become the successor to the interest in the lease if the relative is of at least one-fourth Hawaiian ancestry; and

 

     WHEREAS, approximately 23,800 beneficiary households are on the waitlist to receive homestead lease awards; and

 

     WHEREAS, if a beneficiary on the waitlist dies before being awarded a lease of a tract of Hawaiian homestead land, the beneficiary's application rights may be transferred to a relative who is a successor designated by the applicant, but not if the designee is of less than one-half Hawaiian ancestry; and

 

     WHEREAS, the goals of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act have not yet been fulfilled; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to conduct a study to examine the feasibility of awarding undivided lease interests in Hawaiian home land tracts to native Hawaiian beneficiaries who have not yet been awarded Hawaiian homestead leases; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaiian Homes Commission and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands are requested to provide the Legislative Reference Bureau any information or other assistance requested by the Bureau for the purposes of the study; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2021; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau, Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, and Administrative Services Officer of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Hawaiian Home Lands; Beneficiaries; Legislative Reference Bureau