The close of the 31st Hawaiʻi State Legislature was unprecedented for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
A major point of discussion has been the passage of HB2511 which appropriates a one-time infusion of $600 million to serve beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. As the historic bill made its way through the legislature, the Department continued its pursuit of other policy proposals aimed at improving the state’s service to native Hawaiian beneficiaries.
In September 2021, the Hawaiian Homes Commission approved 10 legislative proposals that were forwarded by DHHL to Gov. David Ige’s office for inclusion consideration in his submittal. Five of these proposals were included in the Governor’s final administrative package presented to the legislature this session.
The only measure to pass both chambers was the Department’s submission to require the respective counties to maintain infrastructure on Hawaiian Home Lands that were built to County standard, passing as SB879, SD1, HD2, CD1.
A summary of DHHL’s proposals and their outcomes can be reviewed below. Items identified as referred to a committee were not scheduled for a hearing and didn’t advance in the 2022 legislative process. Visit dhhl.hawaii.gov/government-relations for a full draft of the bills and justification.
Proposal HHL-01(22) | Relating to Independent Legal Counsel
- SB2605 – Referred to Senate Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means
- SB2607 – Referred to House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Proposal HHL-02(22) | Relating to the Commission on Water Resource Management
- SB872 – Received notice of Senate conferees
Proposal HHL-03(22) | Relating to Tax Exemption
- HB2133 – Referred to House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
- SB3101 – Referred to House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Proposal HHL-04(22) | Relating to Cesspools
- HB2195 – Transmitted to Governor
Proposal HHL-05(22) | Relating to the County Boards of Water Supply
- Withdrawn
Proposal HHL-06(22) | Relating to the County Boards of Water Supply
- Withdrawn
Proposal HHL-07(22) | Relating to Counties
- SB879 – Enrolled to Governor
Proposal HHL-08(22) | Relating to Historic Preservation Reviews
- HB2135 – Referred to Senate Committee on Ways and Means
- SB3103 – Referred to House Committee on Water & Land
Proposal HHL-09(22) | Relating to Gambling
- HB1962 – Referred to House Committees on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs and Commerce and Consumer Protection
- SB2608 – Recommendation was not adopted
Proposal HHL-10(22) | Relating to Interim Rules
- HB2136 – The House Committee on Government Reform recommended that the measure be deferred
- SB3104 – Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary
Proposal HHL-11(22) | Relating to Compliance and Enforcement on Hawaiian Home Lands
- HB2171 – Transmitted to Governor
Proposal HHL-12(22) | Relating to Adoption
- HB2137 – Referred to House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
- SB3105 – Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary
