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Committee adopts staff positions on multiple bill matrices; OHA signals support for DHHL allocation and Maui nursing program
Summary
The OHA Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment committee on March 5 approved staff recommendations on several bill matrices, including support for a $600 million DHHL housing allocation and OHA backing for a Maui College bachelor of nursing program (SB119).
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Committee on Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment on March 5 voted to adopt staff positions on multiple legislative bill matrices covering natural resources and Native Hawaiian housing (matrix 5), Native Hawaiian health (matrix 6) and Native Hawaiian economic development (matrix 8).
Among the items discussed, staff highlighted a major Department of Hawaiian Homelands proposal on matrix 5: a $600 million allocation intended to accelerate housing construction to reduce DHHL waitlists. Staff told trustees the bill had advanced out of its final House committee and was moving forward. The committee adopted the staff recommendation without recorded opposition.
On matrix 6, OHA staff told the committee it supports SB119, which would establish a bachelor of nursing program at the University of Hawaii Maui College. "We are supporting it as part of our initiatives to increase access to health care in rural communities," OHA staff said, noting that locally trained nurses often stay and serve those communities. The committee voted to adopt the proposed positions.
Matrix 8 contained three new bills and one change of position related to Native Hawaiian economic development; trustees adopted staff recommendations on that matrix as well.
Votes and procedure For matrix 5 the motion to adopt staff recommendations was made by Trustee Souza and seconded by Trustee Wahei; trustees later voted on matrices 6 and 8 during the same meeting and the motions passed with no recorded opposition. The committee did not take individual recorded roll-call tallies for each bill in the public record during the meeting; outcomes were announced by voice vote.
What the votes mean Adopting staff positions places OHA on record with recommendations to the Legislature and moves those positions to the Board of Trustees for ratification where required. For bills that would create new obligations or funding priorities, OHA staff said additional Board-level review will follow before any new programs or expenditures are undertaken.
