Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs adopts HB576 amendment, advances $50 million request for HB606 and defers HB1408

The Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs met in a decision-making session Tuesday, March 18, and voted to adopt an amendment to House Bill 576, approved a committee report requesting a $50,000,000 appropriation for House Bill 606, and recommended indefinite deferral of House Bill 1408.

The committee adopted the chair’s proposed amendment to HB576 that would add language on page 13, lines 4–9 stating that the section “shall not apply to any transfers of Hawaiian Homes lands under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act 1920 as amended,” and that such transfers “shall be governed by the provisions of that act, including but not limited to lease conditions stipulating that the lease rationale be for a term of 99 years.” The committee’s recommendation to pass HB576 with that amendment was adopted by recorded ayes and a single no vote.

The committee also advanced HB606 with the chair’s recommendation and the committee report’s request for an appropriation of $50,000,000. The motion to pass HB606 with the committee recommendation carried by recorded ayes and one recorded no. For HB1408 the committee’s recommendation was to defer the measure indefinitely; the chair announced that recommendation and adjourned the session.

Votes at a glance

- HB576 (chair recommendation: pass with amendment to exempt Hawaiian Homes lands): Chair Richards — Aye; Vice Chair San Buenaventura — Aye; Senator Ihara — Aye; Senator Keohokalole — Aye; Senator DeCoer — No. Outcome: recommendation adopted (pass with amendment).

- HB606 (committee report requests appropriation of $50,000,000; chair recommendation: pass with amendments): Chair Richards — Aye; Vice Chair San Buenaventura — Aye; Senator Ihara — Aye; Senator Keohokalole — Aye; Senator DeCoer — No. Outcome: recommendation adopted (pass with amendments; appropriation requested in committee report).

- HB1408 (chair recommendation: defer indefinitely): Chair announced recommendation to defer indefinitely; committee adjourned after that announcement. Outcome: recommended to defer indefinitely.

The committee’s action on HB576 explicitly references the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, exempting Hawaiian Homes lands from the provision added by the amendment. The committee did not record additional debate on the floor beyond the chair’s recommendation for HB576 and stated recommendations for HB606 and HB1408.

The committee convened for decision-making in a short session before adjourning to a subsequent session later the same afternoon to consider additional measures.