Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 05, 1 May 2003 — Gov. Lingle signs new law authorizing $9.5 million in ceded lands revenue back payments owed to OHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Gov. Lingle signs new law authorizing $9.5 million in ceded lands revenue back payments owed to OHA

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— By Naomi Sodetani Governor Linda Lingle signed into law a bill authorizing $9.5 million in undisputed ceded lands back revenue to OHA. The April 23 signing ceremony represented the fruition of two years of effort by OHA to release the flow of ineome stream that had been blocked since 2001. — OHA Chairperson Haunani Apoliona said it was "glorious" to see the unanimous vote in both Senate and House to pass the measure. As of press time, HB1307 called for appropriations of $9,553,876 pulled from various state agencies to provide "interim compensation" to OHA. "It was a long time coming," Apoliona said, stressing that yet-unresolved ceded ianHs issues "will require continued commitment, cooperation and belief in justice and fairness." A Sept. 2001 Hawai'i Supreme Court decision rendered moot Act 304, whieh formulated payments to OHA from state ceded land, and remanded the issue to the legislative and executive branches to resolve. But former Gov. Ben Cayetano abruptly halted all payments, refusing to transfer the undisputed amount when OHA sent a demand letter to the him in Dec. 2002. On Feb. 12, Lingle issued an Executive Order authorizing $2.8 million as the fīrst installment on $12.3 the state acknowledged it owed OHA since July 1, 2001. The order further directed state agencies to pay 20% annually forthwith. While Act 34 covers the halanee of past revenues owed, and now the state and OHA are "square" on past undisputed claims, disputed claims — including revenues ffom Duty Free Shoppers, harbors, Hilo Hospital and a state housing project — remain unaddressed. "We have made this law because it is the right thing to do," Lingle said. "We have affirmed the existence of a sacred trust ... to serve the indigenous peoples of this island state. "In doing so, we also serve every non-Hawaiian in this state," Lingle said. "After all, the Hawaiian people and their culture are what make Hawai i Hawai'i. "Our fates are inextricably intertwined. As goes the Hawaiian people, so goes Hawai'i," the governor said. ® I

At left. Governor Unda Ungle slgns Act 34 authortzlng payment of $9.5 millbn in undlspufed ceded lands back revenue to OHA. Stiown (1-0 are OHA Chair Haunanl Apoliona and trustees John Walhe'e. Boyd Mossman. Rowena Akana, Oz Stender, Colette Machado, Dante Carpenter and Unda Dela Cruz. Ftioto. Naoml Sodetanl