Steps toward self-governance on the state level?
West Hawaii
Today examines
a couple bills moving through the state legislature that are seen as "slowly
working toward self-governance for Native Hawaiians, despite difficulties
reaching that goal at the federal
level."One of the bills, HB 1580, creates a task force to report to the Legislature next year on steps needed to delegate to a democratically elected Hawaiian Homestead Community Self-Governance Organization, authority to administer the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920. That's no small task -- the act controls more than 203,000 acres of land and a $600 million payment over 20 years from the state.
[...]
"The goal is to strengthen the governing capacity of our homestead communities as Hawaiians move toward sovereignty and self-determination," said DHHL Chairman Micah Kane in testimony to the committee.
[...]
Another bill, HB 1948, would establish an Aha Moku Council of "mokus" or regions that would advise the state on all matters relating to natural resources. Mokus would be established on each island, including six on the Big Island: Kau, Puna, Hilo, Hamakua, Kohala and Kona.
The law states that "all state agencies shall obtain advisory input from all councils that are likely to be affected by the state agency's proposed activity, for management and maintenance of marine, land, cultural, agricultural and natural resources to further sustainable use."
Posted: Sat
- March 3, 2007 at 09:49 AM