Oppose SB3056

The Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana is in earnest need of your kokua.

SB 3056 has a hearing on Tuesday February 14, 2012 @ 1:45pm at the Capitol in Room 225. Yes! Valentine’s Day! It will transfer control and management of the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve from the KIRC to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Kaho’olawe will be managed by DLNR like other state lands. There will be no special management of the island as a cultural trust for the Hawaiian Nation. Please protect Kanaloa Kaho’olawe as a sacred cultural trust for the Hawaiian Nation by submitting testimony by Monday February 13, 2012 at 1:30pm. Mahalo and Aloha ‘Āina.

SB 3056: Relating to the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission.
Transfers control and management of the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve from the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission to the Department of Land and Natural Resources and provides that the KIRC shall be subject to the oversight of the DLNR.

Hearing: Tuesday February 14, 2012 @ 1:45pm at the Capitol in Room 225
(It is third on the agenda) in the Senate Water Land and Housing Committee (WLH). Senate WLH Members: Donavan Dela Cruz (chair), Malama Solomon (vice-chair), Carol Fukunaga, Pohai Ryan, Maile Shimabukuro, Jill Tokuda, Sam Slom

Easy to file Internet testimony can be submitted at:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/submittestimony.aspx – Hearing Notice SB3056
or
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/gethearingbybill.aspx?bill&billnumber=3056
See Bill: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2012/bills/SB3056_.pdf

Download sample SB3056 testimony here.

Talking Points:
Kaho’olawe Was Set Up as Separate Special Cultural Trust for Hawaiian Nation: In testimony on 2-12-11, former Governor John Waihe’e described the trusteeship that he and the legislature established for Kaho’olawe: “so this property was not placed back into the DLNR inventory, it was set aside with a special commission to say that it actually belonged to the Hawaiian Nation. You can talk about it coming back to the state of Hawai’i, but it was specifically set aside by the people of this state, by their elected representatives, as the first piece of sovereign soil.”

SB 3056:

1. Erodes Original Intent: In 1993, the Hawai’i State Legislature set up the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve (KIR) as a separate cultural reserve and trust for eventual transfer to the sovereign Hawaiian governing entity. Transferring control and management of the KIR to the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) goes against the original intent of the legislature.
2. Takes Away Special Management for the Hawaiian Nation: SB 3056 will take the power to control and manage the island as a special cultural reserve away from the special commission (KIRC) that was set up to manage the island for the Hawaiian Nation.
3. Takes Away Separate Status: SB 3056 will incorporate the island under the DLNR to be managed like other state lands under DLNR. The island will no longer have its own separate, special and unique management as a cultural reserve.
4. Dissolves Trust: SB 3056 will, in effect, dissolve the KIR as a trust for the Hawaiian Nation.
5. Takes Step Backward from Transfer to Sovereign Hawaiian Governing Entity: Act 195 and the Native Hawaiian Roll Call Commission move us closer to the re-establishment of the sovereign Native Hawaiian governing commission and the transfer of the control and management of the Kaho olawe Island Reserve to the sovereign Hawaiian governing entity. The transfer of control and management under the DLNR is a step backward from this timely process.
6. Please Honor and Protect the Trust Established by Predecessors: We respectfully urge the Senate Water, Land and Housing Committee to protect the trust established by your predecessors in 1993 to Nā Kānaka Ōiwi. Please defeat SB 3506 and support the continued control and management of the island by KIRC as a distinct sacred cultural land trust for the Hawaiian Nation until its transfer to the sovereign Hawaiian governing entity.

Statements can also be sent to Senate WLH Committee Members:
sendelacruz@capitol.hawaii.gov
sensolomon@capitol.hawaii.gov
senfukunaga@capitol.hawaii.gov
senryan@capitol.hawaii.gov
senshimabukuro@capitol.hawaii.gov
sentokuda@capitol.hawaii.gov
senslom@capitol.hawaii.gov