OHA adopts three bills for 2026 legislative package on island burial councils, historic preservation and LUC representation

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs board on Nov. 6 approved three measures to include in OHA’s 2026 legislative package after a committee recommendation and roll‑call votes.

The three approved measures are:
- Island burial councils: a proposed measure to amend provisions (as described in the committee attachment) to allow OHA to provide stipends to island burial council (IBC) members at OHA’s discretion, reduce statutory quorum requirements for IBCs to conduct business, and extend nomination timelines when a vacancy occurs during a member’s term.
- Historic preservation: a proposed measure to amend statutory language (committee described a partial repeal of Act 293‑related provisions) that the committee said opened loopholes in the historic review process for private projects; the proposed change is intended to restore review protections for sensitive sites.
- Hawaii State Land Use Commission (LUC): a proposed measure to amend HRS section 205‑1 to add a member with substantial experience in water resource management and to designate OHA as a nominating agency for the seat that is currently held by a member with experience in traditional Hawaiian land usage and cultural practices.

Each motion was presented by the Board’s Beneficiary Advocacy & Empowerment Committee and then adopted by roll call. The transcript records the committee’s recommendation and roll calls for each measure: the IBC and historic preservation measures were adopted with six yes votes; the LUC measure was approved with five yes votes and one abstention recorded during roll call. The committee materials referenced specific HRS chapters in each draft attachment and included proposed attachment language; the board packet lists the attachments as materials for review.

Why it matters: the package shows OHA’s continued legislative advocacy to strengthen protections for burial and cultural resources, to ensure cultural and water management expertise in land use decision‑making, and to re‑establish procedural authorities for OHA and island councils.

Provenance: Committee recommendation and roll calls are recorded in the public transcript (transcript evidence: 01:04:18–01:10:56).