By Leināʻala Ley, OHA Chief Advocate
Aloha mai kākou. April marks the final stretch of the 2026 legislative session, and OHA’s Public Policy team continues to work diligently to ensure the voices and rights of our beneficiaries are represented at the Capitol.
This session, a handful of positive measures have advanced. Notably, HB2409 HD3 would increase funding for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, and HB1769 HD2 would bring paʻahao (inmates) incarcerated on the continent back home to Hawaiʻi – 30 years after they were sent away (see Ka Wai Ola’s December 2025 cover story).
However, the broader legislative landscape has been deeply concerning.
For one, we’ve seen many legislators double down on a false narrative that scapegoats protections for cultural and natural resources as the primary impediment to the construction of affordable housing.
This false framing persists even though the Simplifying Permitting for Enhanced Economic Development (SPEED) Task Force, formed pursuant to Act 133 in 2025, determined that expediting housing development cannot be achieved simply by circumventing regulations. Rather, legislative support for technology upgrades and workforce development are necessary to ensure timely processing of permits.
Of urgent concern on this front are bills that would erode protections for iwi kūpuna (HB1710 HD2); limit citizen rights to sue to enforce environmental review laws (HB1979 HD3); and limit the jurisdiction of the Land Use Commission (LUC), a critical forum for protecting traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices (HB1738 HD2).
The targeting of the LUC is particularly unfounded, given its strong record of processing affordable housing petitions within the legally mandated 45-day timeline.
At the same time, OHA’s own legislative priorities have faced significant setbacks.
None of OHA’s six package bills were heard or advanced in the Senate, and only three – HB2101 (commercial aquarium collection) , HB2103 (historic preservation review), and HB2104 (island burial councils) – successfully crossed over from the House. Their future now rests with the Senate Water and Land Committee and the Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee.
Two additional bills, HB2582 and HB2584, remain critical to the wellbeing of the lāhui. Although not part of OHA’s package, they address longstanding issues tied to the Public Land Trust.
The Hawaiʻi State Constitution guarantees Native Hawaiians a pro-rata share of trust revenues, recognized in statute as 20%. Yet OHA currently receives just $21.5 million annually – far short of the estimated $80 million identified in a 2016 financial review due to OHA as its share.
This chronic underfunding directly limits OHA’s ability to provide essential services, programs, scholarships, and advocacy for our beneficiaries. These bills must be heard by the Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs to advance.
In May, we will provide a comprehensive update on the session’s outcomes. In the meantime, we strongly encourage you to stay engaged. If you have not already signed up for OHA’s action alerts, please visit oha.org/advocacy. As we approach the 2026 election, OHA will continue holding policymakers accountable through follow-up interviews, issue briefs, and continued public engagement.
To everyone who has responded to action alerts this session – mahalo nui loa for your continued support. Your voice makes a difference.
OHA welcomes your feedback at publicpolicy@oha.org and encourages you to remain engaged and involved as we move forward together.
