Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 2, 1 February 1999 — What ean Hawaiians expect from the legislature? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

What ean Hawaiians expect from the legislature?

The Legislature opened on Jan 21 with three fewer Hawaiian senators and no Hawaiian Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives. Speaker of the House, Rep. Calvin Sav and Senate President Norman Mizuguchi barely mentioned Hawaiians in their opening day addresses. So just what do legislators expect to consider this vear that might impact Hawaiians? (Asked of legislators at the opening of the legislative session.)

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Sen. Randy lwase. Former co-chair, Committee on Water, Land and Hawaiian Affairs. "I don't chair the committee anymore so I haven't seen any pre-session legislation from the various organizations or OHA indicating the important issues."

■Bt 1 v;i M 1 1 1 1 lllil Illlllllll-«F1C- - ' ' - ' : l Sen. Whitney Anderson. Minority Leader. "Right now, being the only Hawaiian left in the Senate, I'm not even sure. We're going to try to meet with OHA and the others."

Rep. Calvin Say. House Speaker. "At this time we are waiting to see what the task force will do in regards to OHA's 20 percent ceded lands. We really haven't addressed any of the Hawaiian issues. That's why we decided as a caucus to merge Hawaiian Affairs with Judiciary. Most bills tied to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs will go to Judiciary. So instead of having two or three hearings, we're down to one or two. We really didn't have any Hawaiian issues on the overall agenda. I don't know if members are going to introduce things, but for the majority package, no."

Sen. Norman Mizuguchi. Senate President. "I think ceded lands is an issue and we certainly will be observing and having some oversight on the governor and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in their negotiations. The other area is, of course, PASH, and we would like to at least have the Native Hawaiians involved in the collaboration process. The Senate will not do anything without collaboration and eommunieation with the Native Hawaiian groups. The OHA budget is important and we are watching to see what will happen with the Hawaiian convention. My particular philosophy is that Hawaiians have to govern themselves. We'd like to see some eonsensus first within the Hawaiian community."

Sen. Oolleen Hanabusa. Chair, Committee on Water, Land and Hawaiian Affairs. "Whatever OHA puts in its package, I will set for a hearing. 1 would support tuition waivers for Native Hawaiians, but that might not eome before this committee or it might be a joint referral. I would also support the trustees' proposal to become part of the retirement system and a seat for OHA on the various boards and commissions. I think we will be considering the election of the members of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, issues related to the Claims Panel and an extension of Act 329, whieh sunsets this year. I have also heard there may be an attempt to codify PASH. I'm not sure whether ceded lands will be an issue, but there is always a potential for that."

Rep. Ed Case. Former chair, Hawaiian Affairs Committee. "I'm hoping at least there is a (negotiated) settlement that will eome back to us to consider. I don't know whether that's realistic, but that's my main hope. It's up to the parties, but if that comes we'lī take it up. Then there's OHA's legislative package to include some of the trustees on various boards and commissions. OHA also wants retirement benefits comparable to other state agencies. Other than that, our feeling has been that the Native Hawaiian community appears to want to discuss some of the larger issues internally for now and we should stay out of the way untiī we are asked to take things up."B