Working group wins governors support for $750,000 PLTIS assessment; approves joint interim report with exhibits

Chair Cheryl Hulu Lindsey and members of the Public Land Trust Working Group on Dec. 11 said the governor will include a $750,000 request in a governors message to fund consultants to assess the accuracy and completeness of the states Public Land Trust Information System and related inventories. The group voted 5-0 to approve a joint interim report to the Legislature and directed staff to compile exhibits and agency responses to accompany the report.

The governors budget request was described during the meeting by Luis Salaveria, who said the administration plans to seek $750,000 and that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) could seek an additional $250,000 in its biennium budget to bring the total to $1,000,000. "The request ... is gonna be for about 750 is gonna be for 750 k from the administration," Salaveria said, adding that OHA might add funds to reach a $1,000,000 total. The working group discussed using the funds to hire third-party consultants to assess PLTIS accuracy, review the land inventory and suggest system improvements.

Why it matters: PLTIS and how state agencies report income from ceded and public-trust lands affect allocations tied to the public trust, including OHAs statutory responsibilities as a beneficiary agency. Members said they want an independent,…