HR 147: ESTABLISHING A LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP FOR THE CONTINUED OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS' EXECUTION OF FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY ACT 279, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 2022.

HOUSE RESOLUTION

ESTABLISHING A LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP FOR THE CONTINUED OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS' EXECUTION OF FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY ACT 279, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 2022.

     WHEREAS, in an effort to reduce the number of native Hawaiian applicants waiting for a homestead lease, Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022 (Act 279), was enacted to appropriate a historic $600,000,000 to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for such purpose; and

     WHEREAS, due to the historic nature of Act 279, the House of Representatives established the Act 279 Working Group (Working Group) via adoption of House Resolution No. 10, Regular Session of 2023, to oversee the execution of the Act 279 funds; and

     WHEREAS, the Working Group held four public hearings with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands where the Department updated the Working Group on its efforts to utilize Act 279 funds; and

     WHEREAS, the Working Group was also tasked with providing recommendations and emphasized the importance of providing native Hawaiian families the ability to remain in their homelands, as there are now more native Hawaiians living in the continental United States than Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, one recommendation of the Working Group was to provide the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands more time to utilize Act 279 funds as, despite the Department's best efforts, constitutional constraints meant the Department only had until June 30, 2024, to encumber the entire $600,000,000; and

     WHEREAS, this recommendation was accomplished with the enactment of Act 125, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, which lapsed Act 279 funds into the newly created Act 279 Special Fund, thereby allowing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to encumber any remaining funds until June 30, 2026; and

     WHEREAS, another recommendation of the Working Group was the continued oversight of projects developed with Act 279 funds to ensure the Legislature and public remain informed and updated on the efforts of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that a legislative working group be established for the continued oversight over the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' execution of Act 279 funds; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group consist of the following members designated as follows:

     (1)  The Honorable Luke A. Evslin, Representative from the Sixteenth District, who shall serve as Chair;

     (2)  The Honorable Daniel Holt, Representative from the Twenty-Eighth District;

     (3)  The Honorable Darius K. Kila, Representative from the Forty-Fourth District;

     (4)  The Honorable Lisa Marten, Representative from the Fifty-First District;

     (5)  The Honorable Mahina Poepoe, Representative from the Thirteenth District;

     (6)  The Honorable David A. Tarnas, Representative from the Eighth District; and

     (7)  The Honorable Diamond Garcia, Representative from the Forty-Second District; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Speaker of the House of Representatives may amend the membership of the working group as deemed necessary; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to submit a progress report of its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives no later than twenty days prior to the commencement of the Regular Session of 2026, and a final report of its findings and any recommendations no later than twenty days before the commencement of the Regular Session of 2027; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group shall cease to exist on January 1, 2027; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission.

Report Title: 

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Act 279 Funds; Oversight Working Group

HOUSE RESOLUTION

establishing a legislative working group for the continued oversight of the department of hawaiian home lands' execution of funds appropriated by act 279, session laws of hawaii 2022.

     WHEREAS, in an effort to reduce the number of native Hawaiian applicants waiting for a homestead lease, Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022 (Act 279), was enacted to appropriate a historic $600,000,000 to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for such purpose; and

     WHEREAS, due to the historic nature of Act 279, the House of Representatives established the Act 279 Working Group (Working Group) via adoption of House Resolution No. 10, Regular Session of 2023, to oversee the execution of the Act 279 funds; and

     WHEREAS, the Working Group held four public hearings with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands where the Department updated the Working Group on its efforts to utilize Act 279 funds; and

     WHEREAS, the Working Group was also tasked with providing recommendations and emphasized the importance of providing native Hawaiian families the ability to remain in their homelands, as there are now more native Hawaiians living in the continental United States than Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, one recommendation of the Working Group was to provide the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands more time to utilize Act 279 funds as, despite the Department's best efforts, constitutional constraints meant the Department only had until June 30, 2024, to encumber the entire $600,000,000; and

     WHEREAS, this recommendation was accomplished with the enactment of Act 125, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, which lapsed Act 279 funds into the newly created Act 279 Special Fund, thereby allowing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to encumber any remaining funds until June 30, 2026; and

     WHEREAS, another recommendation of the Working Group was the continued oversight of projects developed with Act 279 funds to ensure the Legislature and public remain informed and updated on the efforts of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that a legislative working group be established for the continued oversight over the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' execution of Act 279 funds; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group consist of the following members designated as follows:

     (1)  The Honorable Luke A. Evslin, Representative from the Sixteenth District, who shall serve as Chair;

     (2)  The Honorable Daniel Holt, Representative from the Twenty-Eighth District;

     (3)  The Honorable Darius K. Kila, Representative from the Forty-Fourth District;

     (4)  The Honorable Lisa Marten, Representative from the Fifty-First District;

     (5)  The Honorable Mahina Poepoe, Representative from the Thirteenth District;

     (6)  The Honorable David A. Tarnas, Representative from the Eighth District; and

     (7)  The Honorable Gene Ward, Representative from the Eighteenth District; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Speaker of the House of Representatives may amend the membership of the working group as deemed necessary; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to submit a progress report of its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives no later than twenty days prior to the commencement of the Regular Session of 2026, and a final report of its findings and any recommendations no later than twenty days before the commencement of the Regular Session of 2027; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group shall cease to exist on January 1, 2027; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission.

Report Title: 

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Act 279 Funds; Oversight Working Group

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1852

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.R. No. 147

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.R. No. 147 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP FOR THE CONTINUED OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS' EXECUTION OF FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY ACT 279, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 2022,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is that a legislative working group consisting of 7 House Representatives be established for the continued oversight over the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ execution of Act 279 funds. The Speaker of the House of

Representatives may amend the membership of the working group as

deemed necessary. The working group is requested to submit a progress report of its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives no later than twenty days prior to the commencement of the Regular Session of 2026, and a final report of its findings and any recommendations no later than twenty days before the commencement of the Regular Session of 2027 and cease to exist on January 1, 2027.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Health Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai’i and from one individual. 

Your Committee finds that continued legislative oversight is essential to ensure the effective and transparent execution of Act 279 funds by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Establishing a working group of House Representatives will provide accountability, monitor progress, and assess challenges. Requiring progress and final reports will help guide future legislative actions to support the department’s mission and the needs of Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)    Removing Representative Gene Ward and replacing with

Representative Diamond Garcia; and

(2)    Striking out the Eighteenth District and adding in the Forty-Second district.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 147, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 147, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1524

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.R. No. 147

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.R. No. 147 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP FOR THE CONTINUED OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS' EXECUTION OF FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY ACT 279, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 2022,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a legislative working group for the continued oversight of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' execution of funds appropriated by Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022 (Act 279), represented a historic investment by the State of $600,000,000 to address the backlog of native Hawaiian applicants waiting for homestead leases.  In response, the House of Representatives established the Act 279 Working Group to oversee the implementation of these funds and ensure accountability in their use.  Through public hearings and discussions, the Working Group identified the need for continued oversight to track progress and ensure that projects funded under Act 279 effectively support native Hawaiian families.  This measure will ensure continued transparency, accountability, and ongoing legislative engagement in addressing the housing needs of native Hawaiians.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 147 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,