Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 1 January 1983 — OHA BACKS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA BACKS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

OH A T rustees and staff members will be spending a lot of time at the State Capitol during the next few months in an effort to get favorable consideration of legislation aimed at furthering the interests of the Hawaiian people. The Board of Trustees has appro\ed a "legislative package" consisting of several proposals. At the top of the list is OHA's budget for the ne.\t two fiscal years. OHA is asking the Legislature for about three-quarters-of-a-million dollars in operating funds eaeh \ear. That would be matched by an equal amount from "special funds." the money OH A receives by statutefrom ceded land ineome. Thetotal proposed operating budget for the and fiscal years is approximately 3million dollars. OH A Administrator T.C. Yim says, in keeping with the go\ernor's request for budget restraints, :hose figures represent a total operating cost decrease of about 36-thousand dollars during the fīrst year, and a little o\er 48-thousand dollars in the second. In addition to operating funds, OH A also is requesting mone\ to build a badl_\ needed permanent home for itself and other Hawaiian organi7ations. OHA currentl\ is leasing space at Kawaiaha'o Plaza on King Street. The total cost for the building is estimated at 4-and-a-half million dollars. It would be funded by the sale of general obligation bonds. A related bill would have the effect of ensuring that OH A's budget requests recei\e equal consideration \vith those of the \arious branches of state government. The

go\ernor would be required to include OHA's monev requests to the Legislature along with his plan of proposed appropriations for the State. Another OHA sponsored bill would clarif\ an existing statute with regard to OH A's authority to pro\ ide finaneial, technical and advisory help to individual Hawaiians and Native Hawaiians. The wording of the present law could be interpreted as limiting such assistance to

agencies or organizations. Two additional proposals deal with so-called "quiet title actions," the name given to the process of claiming title to land by adverse possession. The first requires that notice of quiet title actions must be published in an English language publication with statewide circulation. This would eliminate a past practice of printing those notices in ne\vspapers such as the Hawaii Hoehi, a publication not generally read by individuals of Hawaiian or part-Ha-waiian ancestry. The second "quiet title bill" makes it more difficult to elaim land by adverse possession. Under this bill, mere possession of the land for a certain number of years is not enough. The person claiming title must demonstrate that the land was occupied in "good faith." He or she must show that "a reasonable person would believe that he has an interest in title to the lands in question and that belief is based on inheritance. a w ritten instrument of conveyance, or the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction." Finallv, an amendment to the State Historic Preservation Law would make it more difficult to develop or make changes to historic property in Hawaii. lt establishes minimum requirements for archaeological reconnaissance surveys done on state land. OHA feels eaeh of these proposals is significant. During the legislative session, we will submit testimony on these bills and offer our legislators all possible assistance to aia them in their deliberations.

\dministrator T.C. ) im and Staff Officer \Iartin H ihon testify at a hearing during ihe Legislature Session. (Pholo hy Ed Miehelman)