Legislative Hawaiian Caucus holds meeting on DHHL funding

Honolulu. Today, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation attorney Alan Murakami presented information to members of the Legislative Hawaiian Caucus, chaired by Rep. Mele Carroll, on the State’s obligation in funding the Department of Hawaiian Homelands.

“If you look at DHHL funding, both in the CIP and in the general budget, I think you’ll see that the funding has not been adequate in either area,” Murakami said. “If you look at the DHHL operating budget, we’re saying that is not adequate. Zero dollars is insufficient.”

Defunding of the general fund budget of DHHL, as proposed by the Lingle Administration is a violation of Article XII, Section 1 of the Hawai‘i Constitution, Murakami told Caucus members.

The provision in the Constitution says that the Legislature shall make sufficient sums available for the administration and operating budget of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Murakami said that DHHL has received less than 1.6 percent of the State’s general budget since the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was established.

The DHHL waiting list today is up to 23,500 applicants, up 200 percent since 1978, with 1,700 who have been waiting for over 30 years.

“How can we say the spirit of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was being faithfully administered when we have forgotten as a State that we are supposed to fund this department,” Murakami said.

DHHL Director Micah Kane, who attended today’s Caucus meeting, did not comment on the presentation.

Rep. Mele Carroll said that the Legislative Hawaiian Caucus will facilitate a continued discussion in writing between Caucus members, DHHL, and Murakami.

The Legislative Hawaiian Caucus is composed of 28 members for the 2009 session, the largest membership it has ever had: Rep. Mele Carroll (Chair), Sen. J. Kalani English (Vice-Chair), Sen. Clayton Hee, Sen. Brickwood Galuteria, Sen. Michelle Kidani, Sen. Norman Sakamoto, Sen. Suzanne Chun-Oakland, Rep. Karen Awana, Rep. Pono Chong, Rep. Faye Hanohano, Rep. Hermina Morita, Rep. Roland Sagum III, Rep. James Kunane Tokioka, Rep. Chris Lee, Rep. Maile Shimabukuro, Rep. Sharon E. Har, Rep. Lyla B. Berg, Rep. Angus McKelvey, Rep. Joe Bertram, Rep. Joey Manahan, Rep. Cindy Evans, Rep. Cindy Evans, Rep. Tom Brower, Rep. Jessica Wooley, Rep. Lynn Finnegan, Rep. Scott Saiki, Rep. Sylvia Luke, Rep. Della Au Bellatti, and Rep. Gene Ward.