VIDEO: Bill Mandating Native Hawaiian Rights Training Signed into Law

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Governor David Ige signs into law HB207 which will require certain state councils, boards, and commissions to attend a course administered by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on native Hawaiian customs and rights. Photo credit: House of Representatives.

By Maui Now Staff

Governor David Ige signed a bill into law this morning that makes it mandatory for certain state councils, boards and commissions to attend a course on Native Hawaiian customs and rights to be administered by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Representative Kaniela Ing of Maui, who chairs the House Committee on Hawaiian Affairs said, “Harmony among a diverse population and a strong respect for our host culture is what gives Hawaiʻi its reputation of a place of Aloha. Some recent controversies have called into question our state’s commitment to Native Hawaiian issues.”

Rep. Ing said House Bill 207 “takes basic steps to ensure that the next generation of public servants will be more knowledgeable of the historical and cultural context of the place for which they are tasked to make decisions.”

“After all, Native Hawaiian issues are everyone’s issues, and everyone’s issues are Native Hawaiian issues,” said Rep. Ing.

Governor David Ige signs into law HB207 which will require certain state councils, boards, and commissions to attend a course administered by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on native Hawaiian customs and rights. Photo credit: Office of the Governor.

The course will be administered by OHA and shall apply to members of the Land Use Commission, Board of Land and Natural Resources, Commission on Water Resource Management, Environmental Council, the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Board of Agriculture, Legacy Land Conservation Commission, Natural Area Reserve Systems Commission, Hawaii Historic Places Review Board, and the Board of Health.

The law will take effect on July 1, 2015.