OHA board changes position to oppose SB 903 after settlement language added

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees voted April 3 to change OHA’s position on Senate Bill 903 from “comment” to “oppose,” after trustees and staff said a House Draft added settlement language about "future claims" that expanded the bill beyond an inventory and audit of ceded/public trust lands.

Trustee Galuteria moved the change during the April 3 meeting, saying the bill had ‘‘morphed into something much larger’’ than the inventory OHA supported; the motion passed unanimously (9–0).

OHA officials and trustees said the change matters because the original bill’s inventory and audit provisions were consistent with OHA priorities, but the newly added settlement language — which directs a working group to "discuss a settlement with respect to future claims" — raises legal and policy concerns and exceeds what OHA can support.

Kapohana Stacy Ferreira summarized recent outreach and island meetings that informed the board. Public testimony included Germaine (Jermaine) Myers, who said she had submitted testimony in support of SB 903 based on House Draft 1 but later discovered a House Draft 2 that included settlement language; Myers said she did not have an opportunity to testify to the amended draft during the legislative hearing.

Interim Corporation Counsel Everett Ota told trustees the position change was prompted by revisions in House Draft 2 that added settlement language. Advocacy staff member Lena Allah (OHA advocacy team) attended the Legislature’s hearing on April 2 and told trustees OHA had proposed amendments to remove settlement language and replace it with an annual-payment approach; those amendments were not adopted and the House committee instead added clear working-group tasks to discuss settlement. Several trustees said they would seek to mobilize beneficiaries if settlement language survived further legislative steps.

Trustees also discussed the working-group composition and the possibility that OHA appointees would be in the minority; one trustee said OHA currently holds three seats while other appointing authorities control the remaining seats and suggested shifting an appointment to OHA to balance representation. Trustees and staff said they will continue to monitor the bill, work with allies in the Legislature, and consider beneficiary outreach if the settlement language proceeds through conference committee.

The board’s motion to change OHA’s official position appeared on the committee matrix (Matrix 2) and was brought to the full board for a recorded roll-call vote. The roll call recorded nine affirmative votes: Trustee Ahuna; Trustee Akaka; Trustee Akina; Trustee Alapa; Trustee Galluteria; Trustee Lindsey; Trustee Souza; Trustee Wahe'e; and Chair Kahele.

Next steps: OHA staff said they will report back on any conference-committee activity on SB 903 and coordinate beneficiary outreach if settlement language remains. Advocacy staff indicated they will provide a detailed account of amendments adopted at the House committee hearing and of OHA’s proposed language that the committee rejected.

Sources: OHA board meeting, April 3, 2025; public testimony and OHA staff reports presented to the board.