SENATE COMMITTEES EXAMINE HISTORY AND IMPORTANCE OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTIONS

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI – The Hawaiʻi State Senate Committees on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, in conjunction with the Native Hawaiian Affairs Caucus, convened an informational briefing today to examine the history, purpose and significance of programs and institutions established to support Native Hawaiians.

The briefing brought together experts in Native Hawaiian history, law and public policy to explore historical circumstances that lead to the creation of these programs, their role in addressing longstanding inequities and their continued importance to Native Hawaiian families and communities.

Senator Jarrett Keohokalole (District 24 – Kāneʻohe, Kailua), Chair of the Native Hawaiian Affairs Caucus, emphasized the importance of understanding why these programs were established and the communities they were intended to serve.

“These programs and institutions were established in response to generations of historical injustices and the unique circumstances facing Native Hawaiians,” said Senator Keohokalole. They represent efforts to address those injustices and create opportunities for Native Hawaiian families through education, health care and access to Hawaiian Home Lands. Understanding their history and purpose is essential to recognizing their value and ensuring they continue serving future generations.”

The briefing included an overview by Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele, followed by presentations examining the historical and legal foundations of Native Hawaiian-focused educational, health and housing programs.

Derek H. Kauanoe, Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law, provided historical context on Native Hawaiian-focused programs including Kamehameha Schools and the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program, and the factors that shaped their development.

Tyler Iokepa Gomes, Chief Administrator of the Kilohana Collective at the Hawaiian Council, discussed the history of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act and the importance of Hawaiian Home Lands in providing Native Hawaiian families with opportunities to have a home and maintain their connections to ancestral lands.

“Understanding the history behind these programs is essential to understanding why they exist and the important role they continue to play today,” said Senator Karl Rhoads (District 13 – Dowsett Highlands, Puʻunui, Nuʻuanu, Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl, Pālama, Liliha, ʻIwilei, Chinatown and Downtown), Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary. “As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to understand the historical circumstances that led to their establishment and recognize the lasting significance of these institutions. This briefing provided an opportunity to deepen that understanding and help inform our work moving forward.”

The informational briefing also provided an opportunity for members of the Senate Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committees and the Native Hawaiian Affairs Caucus to ask questions and deepen understanding of the history, purpose and continued importance of these programs and institutions.