Hawaiian Affairs Caucus

Aloha,

The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus will be holding its first general membership meeting for 2018 on February 15, 6:00 p.m., at the Democratic Party of Hawaii headquarters. The agenda includes these important areas required for action: 1) Approval of the HAC bylaws amendments earlier transmitted to you; 2) HAC Legislative Priorities; 3) Candidate Support; 4) DPH and County Conventions. If you are not yet a member of the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus, please complete the application at our website,www.hawaiianaffairs.org and transmit to our secretary atrhondar8@gmail.com. Only members of the Caucus can vote on motions at our meeting. Alternately, shoot me an email and I’ll email you the application (leimomikhan@gmail.com).

We kindly ask that you make every effort to attend or call in, especially because we need a quorum of at least 25 to approve the HAC bylaws amendments (a copy is posted to www.hawaiianaffairs.org—scroll to article on Feb 15 meeting). These amendments are necessary in order to allow the HAC to elect its own officers. Otherwise, election would be done by the entire Democratic Party of Hawaii at its convention in May. At the 2016 convention, we fought hard to amend the DPH bylaws to empower caucuses to do so. The approval of the HAC bylaws amendments is at the top of the meeting agenda, so if you can’t attend the full meeting, at least attend in person or call in to vote on the bylaws amendments. Dial in number is (712) 451-0200, Access Code 938390. We have some serious business to do, thus, all Hawaiian Affairs Caucus members are encouraged to attend the meeting.

Wish also to call your attention to the following bills:

– SB 3090, Proposed SD1 that establishes the Mauna Kea Management Authority. Limits the number of telescopes that may be authorized on Mauna Kea. Authorizes the renegotiation of leases, subleases, easements, permits, and licenses pertaining to Mauna Kea. Requires that revenue derived from activities on Mauna Kea be shared with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Excludes Mauna Kea lands from the definition of “public lands.” Provides for free access to Mauna Kea for traditional cultural purposes. This bill is being heard on the Senate Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Committee on Water and Land on Feb 12, 1:15 p.m., State Capitol Auditorium. Copies of the proposed SD1 are available from the Senate Document Center and on the Legislature’s website: www.capitol.hawaii.gov. Testimony may be given on line. The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus Executive Committee has taken no position on this bill, but will discuss it at our upcoming general membership meeting.

– SB 1303, Relating to Office of Hawaiian Affairs Elections that would change the method by which candidates for three OHA Board of Trustees-at-large seats without residency requirements are elected passed out with amendments by the Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs on February 8 and is heading to the Judiciary Committee.

Lastly, the LGBT and Labor Caucuses are holding a Lt Gov forum this Saturday, February 10, 9:00 a.m. till noon, DPH Headquarters. All are invited to this no-cost event. The Women’s Caucus is trying to put together a table for the DPH fundraiser featuring Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota, Feb 19, 5:30-8:30, Sheraton Waikiki, $250. Contact Amy Monk atamymonk99@hotmail.com for further information.

Me kealoha pumehana,

Leimomi Khan
Chair

Hawaiian Affairs Caucus Briefs Party Leadership
on Its Preliminary Legislative Priorities for 2018

HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS CAUCUS
Legislative Priorities 2018
DPH Presentation January 11, 2018

Mission:  The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus supports and promotes cultural values of aloha, mālama ‘āina, ho‘okipa, kuleana and, above all, pono, in alignment with the values of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus seeks to address issues of self-determination responsibilities and rights, protection of Hawaiian cultural practices and sacred sites, pono economic development, distribution of wealth to those segments of society most in need, protection of Hawaii’s natural resources (on the ‘āina and in the kai), housing, health, education, and accountability of public servants identified as Democrats to the mission and goals of the Democratic Party of Hawaii with regard to the above objectives.

Legislative Priorities:

1. Fulfilling the State’s Public Land Trust Revenue Obligations: Nearly 40 years have passed since the state formally recognized that “twenty percent of all funds derives from the public land trust” must be set aside to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians.  However, after decades of litigation and negotiation over the interpretation of this requirement, in 2006, the Legislature and OHA agreed to $15.1 million as a temporary amount that should be transferred annually to OHA.  Act 178 also required state agency reporting to provide data on what revenue was being generated from the use of public land trust (PLT) lands.  Based on independent audits and the state’s own accounting, this “interim” amount falls far short of the 20 percent of PLT revenues that Native Hawaiians and OHA are entitled to.  INTENT:  This measure will seek to ensure that OHA’s constitutional and statutory right to a pro rata share is more adequately reflected and that the state’s PLT obligations to Native Hawaiians are fulfilled.
2. Expanding the Native Hawaiian Law Training Course: Since 2015, members of various state boards and commissions have been required to attend an OHA sponsored Native Hawaiian Law Training Course, making key state policy makers more mindful of their legal obligations to Hawaiians, Hawaii’s political history, the public trust, Native Hawaiian traditional and customary rights, water law and Native Hawaiian burials.   INTENT:   This measure would broaden the impact of the highly successful Native Hawaiian Law Training Course by expanding the list of required attendees to include relevant state and county officials, ensuring that a broader range of individuals who develop and implement policies involving our cultural and natural resources are more fully aware of the state’s obligations to Native Hawaiians and the public Trust.
3. Supporting Housing Security and Asset Building for Low-Income Beneficiaries: Certain Individual Housing Account (IHA) holders can deduct IHA savings from their adjusted gross income up to a certain limit, reducing their state taxes and allowing them to qualify or maintain their eligibility for tax credits and social services as they save to purchase a home or secure a rental unit.  However these deductions are currently not allowed for IHAs administered by Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), including programs used by many of OHA’s beneficiaries.  There is also no deduction for rental IHAs, which are used by houseless individuals and families to secure rental units.  INTENT:  This proposal would promote the financial security of low income beneficiaries who save money in CDFI- administered IHAs by allowing such individuals to deduct their IHA savings from their adjusted gross income.  More specifically, this measure would expand the AGI deduction categories to include CDFI-administered IHA’s and rental IHA’s. The bill also calls for updating the original AGI deduction limits for IHA’s, established in 1982, which have remained for individuals and $10,000 for married couples:  a rental IHA limit of $2500 would also be established.
4. Reclaiming Na Pili Aina through Hawaiian Cultural Reserves: Hawaii’s Long history of changing land uses and development, in combination with changing socioeconomic and political landscapes has severed the connections between many Native Hawaiians and the lands their ‘ohana have known for generations. Protections currently in place do not serve as a comprehensive mechanism for blanket recognition, nor do they serve to restore resources, sites or practices that underlie the connection between Native Hawaiians and the ‘aina and that have already been displaced or lost by prior land use activities.  Setting aside land in certain developments for  “Hawaiian Cultural Reserves” tailored to accommodate traditional resources and cultural practices specific to their respective locales would more proactively recognize and restore the cultural significance of lands proposed for development and help to restore and perpetuate Native Hawaiian cultural connections that have been lost for decades, if not generations.  INTENT:  This measure would require counties to establish ordinances and rules for the dedication of land in certain proposed subdivisions and condominium property regimes for Hawaiian Culture Reserves purposes, subject to exceptions based on special circumstances to be determined by each county.
5. More to come: HAC Legislative Committee Meeting, January 25, 5:30 p.m., DPH Headquarters.  Last year, over 80 bills were introduced.  Anticipate that a similar number of bills will be introduced this year covering a range of areas, including appropriations bills, OHA election, Hawaiian language, education, homeless, and health, etc.  The deadline for submission of bills is January 24, thus, after that date, we will have a better idea of bills impacting upon Native Hawaiians.
6. Hawaiian Legislative Priorities Forum, January 16, 2018: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Native Hawaiian 2018 Legislative Priorities, hosted by the Ho’omanapono Political Action Committee, Room sponsor, Senator Brickwood Galluteria.  Presenters:  HPAC, Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Holomua Pu’uhonua, DHHL, CNHA, SCHHA, Rise2Vote, Native Hawaiian Legal Corp, Native Hawaiian Health Task Force Community Alliance on Prisons
7. Peace March: January 17, 2018, 9:00 a.m.:  Peace March in observance of the 125^th year since the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom from the Mauna ‘Ala Royal Mausoleum to ‘Iolani Palace.  See schedule of events at onipaakakou.org
8. Year of the Hawaiian: Senate adopted resolution in 2017; awaiting Governor Ige designation.  Watch for activities in support.

Aloha, The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus will be holding its first membership meeting for 2018 on February 15, 2018, 6:00 p.m., at the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Main topics for discussion include: 1) Adoption of Proposed Amendments to the Caucus bylaws to bring them into conformance with the Democratic Party of Hawaii bylaws that were adopted at the May 2016 convention, specifically such bylaws authorized caucuses to elect its own representatives to the SCC provided its bylaws set forth the processes for doing so. Click here to download a copy of the proposed amendments. A complete set of the 34 page HAC bylaws can be found at: www.hawaiianaffairs.org. 2) Adoption of our 2018 legislative priorities. Meantime, the Executive Committee voted to support the four priorities being advocated by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. These were published in the recent edition of the Ka Wai Ola. At our membership meeting, we shall also be discussing the notion of “candidate endorsements.” As many of you know, it’s been long-standing practice to not endorse one Democratic Party candidate over another in the primary, however, with the majority of candidates being Democrats, and to distinguish among those who walk the talk of the Democratic Party Platform from those who do not, it may be time for HAC members to do endorsements. The HAC Executive Committee is thus exploring this possibility. This should make for a healthy discussion at our general membership meeting. As the legislature opens on January 17, I urge you to become involved. Register to receive bill hearing notices and provide testimonies in support or opposition. If you need help in learning the processes for doing so, call the Public Access Room at 587-0478, email: PAR@capitol.hawaii.gov Leimomi LEIMOMI KHAN, Chair, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus