Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Votes Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trustees approve committee split, investment policy and sponsorships; several legislative proposals fail
Summary
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees approved committee and investment policy changes and authorized multiple sponsorships on Oct. 31, 2024, but declined proposed legislative measures that would have exempted the board from Sunshine Law and changed trustee salary review.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees on Oct. 31, 2024 took a series of procedural and policy votes: it approved a bylaw revision that splits the Committee on Resource Management into the Committee on Budget and Finance and the Committee on Investment and Land Management; adopted changes to the Native Hawaiian Trust Fund investment approach; approved inclusion of a proposed OHA budget bill in the 2025 legislative package; approved a measure changing island burial council composition; and authorized multiple event sponsorship disbursements. The board declined to adopt a proposed bill that would exempt OHA from the state Sunshine Law and declined a proposal to vest trustee salary review authority in an OHA‑appointed commission.
Highlights and what passed
• Committee restructure (bylaw revision): trustees voted to split the Committee on Resource Management into two committees: Committee on Budget and Finance and Committee on Investment and Land Management. The motion passed with seven yes votes and one abstention.
• Native Hawaiian Trust Fund investment policy statement: trustees approved moving from a manager‑of‑managers model to a non‑discretionary investment consulting approach and delegated authority to administration to implement transitions, including terminating manager agreements and moving selected investments into passive index funds. Vote: 8 yes, 0 no (recorded as eight yes votes).
• Budget measure inclusion: the board's joint committee recommended approval of a proposed OHA budget bill for the 2025 legislative package; trustees approved the measure (7 yes, 1 abstention on the initial committee vote when taken up by the board earlier in the meeting). Trustees later authorized ministerial edits to all measures prior to final submission.
• Island burial council composition (OHA 3): the board approved a measure to exclude large landowners (defined in the materials as owners or lessees of 100 acres or more) from serving on island burial councils in a representative capacity for property and development interests; vote recorded as seven yes votes and one abstention.
• Event sponsorships: the board authorized multiple sponsorship disbursements, including (selected approvals recorded in the meeting): $5,000 to Pahae'o Kamehameha (convention), $15,000 to Friends of Iolani Palace (honoring Kalākaua fundraiser), $15,000 to Ekōmunea Nui (Eho'o Waiwai'e), $5,000 to Kealakehe Community Association (centennial), $5,000 to Nā Kua ʻĀina O Waimānalo (Mākālehua O Waimānalo), $5,000 to Nalehu Theater (18th annual event), and other island trustee/board sponsorships. Each sponsorship vote passed with recorded aye votes in the roll call.
What failed
• OHA 1 (Sunshine Law exemption): a proposal to exempt the board from portions of the state's Sunshine Law failed after trustees and public commenters debated transparency and operational flexibility. The record shows the motion failed (outcome: motion fails). Several public commenters, including Maui County Council member Keani Rollins Fernandez, testified in opposition citing concerns about reduced transparency.
• OHA 2 (salary commission): a proposal to have an OHA‑appointed salary commission or otherwise change trustee salary review failed on the board floor (motion failed by tie or insufficient majority in recorded roll call).
Why trustees split on legislation: trustees who supported the Sunshine Law exemption and related proposals argued the board needs flexibility to act quickly on statewide fiduciary matters and investments; trustees and many public commenters who opposed the exemption argued that greater transparency is needed to rebuild public trust after earlier audits and accountability concerns.
Next steps: administration will carry forward ministerial edits to measures approved for submission to the 2025 legislative session and will bring implementation details for the investment policy changes and committee structure to the appropriate committees. Legal and staff clarifications will be provided on sponsorship rules distinguishing board of trustee sponsorships from CEO‑initiated sponsorships.
