Trustees meet in closed session, reaffirm willingness to defend Papahanaumokuakea protections

The Committee on Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs met June 24 and voted 9-0 to enter an executive session under Hawaii Revised Statutes §92-5(a)(4) to receive legal advice and discuss potential litigation related to defending resource protections in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and Sanctuary.

Chair Galutario said the board met with legal counsel and the state attorney general and that "the board reaffirmed its support and willingness to proceed with all necessary actions" to defend resource protections. The meeting record shows trustees approved entering the closed session to review legal options concerning recent federal action on commercial fishing access.

The committee reported, in public session after the executive meeting, that it approved the executive session minutes for Sept. 17, 2025. No formal policy decision or vote on substantive changes to management of the monument was recorded in open session; the matter was handled in executive session for the purpose of legal consultation as allowed under HRS §92-5(a)(4).

The committee had placed the Papahanaumokuakea item on the agenda to receive an update and to consult counsel about the board's powers, duties and potential liabilities in defending those protections. The chair's public statement and the approval of the executive-session minutes were the principal public outcomes recorded at the June 24 meeting. The committee adjourned after public testimony and set the next meeting time at 11:30.