Bill Text: HI HB2750 | 2016 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Native Hawaiian Housing Task Force; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Appropriation ($)
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-3)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2016-03-10 - Referred to HWN/HOU, WAM. [HB2750 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2016-HB2750-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2750 |
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TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO NATIVE HAWAIIANS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Admission Act, as well as article XII of the Hawaii constitution, establish certain fiduciary duties regarding the use of state funds for the benefit of native Hawaiians to administered by the department of Hawaiian home lands.
The legislature also finds that article XII of the state constitution establishes the office of Hawaiian affairs, which has the duty and purpose of promoting and protecting the rights of Native Hawaiians, including by using its share of public land trust revenues for the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians.
Hawaii has one of the largest homeless populations per capita in the United States. Multiple state agencies including the department of health and the department of human services are currently tasked with providing services to assist homeless individuals in finding shelter and permanent housing as well as health and educational services. One of the largest contributing factors to Hawaii's high incidence of homelessness is the lack of affordable permanent housing for at-risk or socioeconomically challenged individuals.
Data shows that Native Hawaiians make up a significant portion of the homeless population in Hawaii. Many of these individuals and their families are receiving or waiting to receive homeless services from the State. All homeless Native Hawaiians are beneficiaries of the office of Hawaiian affairs and many are beneficiaries or successors to beneficiaries of the department of Hawaiian home lands.
Pursuant to the recent first circuit court ruling in Nelson v. Hawaiian Homes Commission, the legislature is required to appropriate sufficient sums of money toward the administrative and operating expenses of the department of Hawaiian home lands in the amount of no less than twenty-eight million dollars. This decision was rendered by the court to address the plaintiffs' claim that, as department of Hawaiian home lands beneficiaries, they had not been awarded Hawaiian homestead leases in a timely fashion. There are approximately twenty-seven thousand native Hawaiians on the department of Hawaiian home lands waitlist and an unknown number of native Hawaiians not on that waitlist who are also department of Hawaiian home lands beneficiaries. The number of successors to these native Hawaiians who are eligible to inherit a Hawaiian homestead lease is not known. The number of native Hawaiians and their successors who are also eligible for or waiting for low-income or other public housing through the Hawaii public housing authority or other state housing programs is also unknown. The number of native Hawaiians and their successors who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and are currently receiving services through the department of health or the department of human services is also unknown.
The legislature finds that a native Hawaiian housing task force that will identify duplicative housing-related services and opportunities for cooperation across agencies that serve the same communities is an essential step to ensure that the State pursues the most efficient and effective approach to relieving homelessness and the affordable housing crisis in Hawaii.
The purpose of this Act is to establish a Native Hawaiian housing task force to identify duplicative housing-related services among state agencies that serve Native Hawaiians to improve efficiency in the delivery of those services.
SECTION 2. (a) There is established a Native Hawaiian housing task force, attached to the office of Hawaiian affairs for administrative purposes, to review housing-related services provided by state agencies that serve Native Hawaiians. The task force shall identify duplicative services among state agencies and recommend ways in which the delivery of those services may be improved, with an emphasis on expeditiously providing services to Native Hawaiians in highest need.
(b) Each of the following agencies shall appoint a representative member to the task force:
(1) Department of Hawaiian home lands;
(2) Department of human services;
(3) Office of the governor;
(4) Office of Hawaiian affairs;
(5) Hawaii community development authority;
(6) Hawaii public housing authority; and
(7) Hawaii housing finance and development corporation.
(c) The task force shall elect a chairperson from among its members. Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties on the task force.
(d) The task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2017.
(e) The task force shall be dissolved on June 30, 2017.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 to establish the Native Hawaiian housing task force to review housing-related services provided by state agencies that serve Native Hawaiians.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of Hawaiian affairs for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on December 24, 2088.
Report Title:
Native Hawaiian Housing Task Force; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Appropriation
Description:
Establishes the Native Hawaiian Housing Task Force, administratively attached to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, to identify duplicative services and improve efficiency in providing housing-related services to Native Hawaiians. Requires a report. Makes an appropriation. (HB2750 HD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
