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OHA trustees approve staff positions on several 2026 legislative matrices, opt to monitor select nominations
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Summary
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees voted to adopt staff recommendations on multiple legislative matrices — including natural resources, housing and economic stability — moved into executive session to consult counsel on public land trust matters, and decided to monitor several gubernatorial nominations rather than endorse individual nominees.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees on an administrative agenda voted to adopt staff-recommended positions on several 2026 legislative matrices and decided to refrain from endorsing certain gubernatorial nominees, instructing staff to monitor those appointments instead.
Chair Galateria moved the board into an executive session to consult with legal counsel about the committee’s powers, duties, privileges, immunities and liabilities related to public land trust bills in the 2026 legislative session. Trustees voted to enter executive session before returning to the public meeting to hear staff updates and take votes on multiple matrices.
OHA staff member Deja summarized the agency’s priorities moving into conference committees, telling trustees, “This is just an update of our package as we move into conference.” She highlighted HP2101 (the aquarium commercial collection bill), HB2104 (changes to Island Burial Council participation and compensation), and HP1710 (OHA’s historic-preservation package vehicle) among the bills OHA is tracking.
On matrix 4, covering natural resources and Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices, trustees approved staff’s recommended positions, including support with amendments for HCR178 — a resolution urging the Department of Land and Natural Resources to prioritize a water set-aside for East Maui. The motion to adopt the matrix 4 positions passed with six yes votes and several trustees excused or not present.
Trustees also approved recommendations for matrix 5 concerning Native Hawaiian housing after staff explained that language from HB2049, which would dedicate roughly $60,000,000 via the conveyance tax to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, was moved into SB3048. Deja said OHA now recommends supporting SB3048; the motion to adopt the matrix 5 positions passed.
In other business, staff flagged HB1769 (legislation addressing the incremental return of Hawaiians incarcerated out of state) and SB2588 (a compassionate-release measure supported by Native Hawaiian Legal Corp and partner organizations), both of which staff reported are moving into conference and have OHA support pending technical language clarifications.
On the governance and confirmations agenda (matrix 10), staff recommended OHA not take positions on certain gubernatorial nominees for bodies including the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mauna Kea Oversight Authority, proposing instead to monitor appointments to avoid perceived endorsement of individuals. Deja said staff had encountered community pushback when recommending specific nominees for Mauna Kea oversight; a trustee asked for balance between advocacy and engagement. Trustees voted to adopt the matrix 10 recommendations, with the specified nominees moved to a monitored status rather than supported or opposed.
The board recorded several formal votes on staff recommendations across the matrices and closed the meeting after routine announcements; a subsequent Board of Trustees meeting was noted for the following day at 9:00 a.m. The transcript provided no explicit meeting date.
What’s next: OHA staff will file conference testimony and continue outreach to conferees on bills identified in the matrices; trustees asked staff to monitor gubernatorial appointments identified in matrix 10 and return with any recommended changes to that monitoring posture if community or policy circumstances change.
