Bill Text: HI SB233 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Queen Liliuokalani Statue
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-13 - The committee on THA deferred the measure. [SB233 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2013-SB233-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
233 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO QUEEN liliuokalani.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Native Hawaiians are the indigenous, native people of the Hawaiian archipelago and are a distinctly native community. From its inception, the State has had a special political and legal relationship with the Native Hawaiian people.
On January 14, 1893, John L. Stevens, the United States Minister assigned to the sovereign and independent Kingdom of Hawaii, conspired with a small group of non-Hawaiian residents of the Kingdom of Hawaii, including citizens of the United States, to overthrow the indigenous and lawful government of Hawaii. In a conspiracy to overthrow the Government of Hawaii, the United States Minister and the naval representatives of the United States caused armed naval forces of the United States to invade the sovereign Hawaiian nation on January 16, 1893, and to position themselves near the Hawaiian government buildings and the Iolani Palace to intimidate Queen Liliuokalani and her government.
On the afternoon of January 17, 1893, a Committee of Safety that represented the American and European sugar planters, descendants of missionaries, and financiers deposed the Hawaiian monarchy and proclaimed the establishment of a provisional government. The United States Minister thereupon extended diplomatic recognition to the provisional government that was formed by the conspirators without the consent of the Native Hawaiian people or the lawful government of Hawaii and in violation of treaties between the two nations and of international law.
In 1993, the United States formally apologized to Native Hawaiians for the United States' role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom through Public Law 103-150 (107 Stat. 1510), commonly known as the "Apology Resolution", which stated in pertinent part:
"The Congress -
(1) on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii on January 17, 1893, acknowledges the historical significance of this event which resulted in the suppression of the inherent sovereignty of the Native Hawaiian people[.]"
The Apology Resolution acknowledges that the Native Hawaiian people never directly relinquished to the United States their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people over their national lands, either through a treaty of annexation or through a plebiscite or referendum. The Apology Resolution further expresses the commitment of Congress and the President to acknowledge the ramifications of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and to support reconciliation efforts between the United States and Native Hawaiians.
The legislature finds that Hawaiian sovereignty remains unrelinquished today. In December 2010, the United States endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which acknowledged, among other things, that "[i]ndigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development."
Queen Liliuokalani never relinquished the throne in the face of the overthrow, notwithstanding her forced removal from the throne. Therefore, the legislature finds that Hawaiian sovereignty was never relinquished in the overthrow and that Queen Liliuokalani remained the Queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii until her death.
The memorial statue of Queen Liliuokalani on the grounds of the state capitol is a symbol and a tribute to the Hawaiian Kingdom. The legislature further finds that the inscription on the memorial should be befitting of the honor and greatness of Queen Liliuokalani.
The purpose of this Act is to honor the dignity and memory of Queen Liliuokalani as the reigning Queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom until her death.
SECTION 2. The memorial statue of Queen Liliuokalani on the grounds of the state capitol shall be inscribed with the year of the Queen's coronation on January 29, 1891, to the date of her death on November 11, 1917, rather than the years inscribed on the statue as of the day prior to the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Queen Liliuokalani Statue
Description:
Changes inscription on Queen Liliuokalani statue to the dates of her coronation and death.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
