Committee advances bill funding inventory and audit for public‑land trust; OHA pushes to limit scope to annual payments

The House Committee on Finance recommended passage of Senate Bill 903 SD2 HD1 after receiving written and in‑person comments from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and other stakeholders. The bill provides funding to continue the public land trust working group’s audit and inventory of state lands and to clarify the accounting for annual payments due to OHA.

OHA supported language that would fund third‑party professionals to complete a long‑overdue audit and inventory tied to the public‑land trust and OHA’s pro‑rata share, but it opposed provisions that used the undefined term "settlement." "Our primary requested amendment is to strike that language to make clear that this isn't an undefined settlement of who knows what, but it's just in relation to OHA's pro rata share," OHA testimony said.

The transcript shows OHA requested several technical amendments: increase OHA representation on any working group; limit the historical window the audit would examine; clean up procurement roles for any third‑party contractors; and ensure the working group focuses on accounting for annual payments rather than authorizing an open‑ended settlement.

Committee decision and next steps: the committee adopted an HD1 and forwarded the measure to conference; members also noted interest in establishing a focused working group to determine a process for calculating amounts owed to clear prior claims and to consider a master settlement process if stakeholders choose to pursue that path. The committee report will reflect that interest while the bill itself funds and scopes the inventory and audit work.

Ending: The bill advances with instructions for staff and conference negotiators to work with OHA and DLNR on clarifying language and procurement mechanics; the Legislature and OHA said they view the audit and inventory as prerequisites to any broader settlement talks.