HONOLULU (CN) — Hawaii Governor Josh Green signed 13 bills Friday targeting key issues facing the Native Hawaiian community and will fund Hawaiian homelands, support Hawaiian language education and promote sustainable tourism.
“Today, we make significant strides in supporting our Native Hawaiian community and preserving our cultural heritage,” Green said. “I am grateful to all the legislators, advocates, and community members who have worked tirelessly to make these bills possible. Together, we are building a brighter future for Hawaii and its Native Hawaiian communities.”
Green first addressed House Bill 3109, which would prolong the Department of Hawaiian Home Land's special fund until 2026. The bill targets the department's waitlist of about 29,000 Native Hawaiian housing applicants. The department — which manages and grants public lands to Native Hawaiians for homesteads — is working to spend the $600 million approved in 2022, a historic allocation aimed at developing homesteads and shrinking the lengthy waitlist.
Green was joined by state Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, House Representative Daniel Holt and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson for the signing ceremony.
Watson, who heads both the department and the Hawaiian Homes Commission, discussed the Pu'uhona project during the signing ceremony, detailing the 161-lot homestead development in Waikapu aimed at West Maui's housing crisis.
This project, Maui's first turnkey residential initiative in almost two decades, initiates the department's use of its $600 million allocation. Watson candidly addressed the program's past shortcomings, referencing a Native Hawaiian woman who waited 40 years for a home, receiving it only after becoming wheelchair-bound.
“The reality is we have so many people dying on our waitlists. So we have to really, really get active. We’ve identified 28 projects, and we've encumbered about 471 million of the 600 million thanks to the legislature, “said Watson. “We are looking at generating close to 6000 additional homesteads. So it’s a very active program.”
The governor also signed House Bill 2074, which appropriates $3.5 million for kula kaiapuni — or Native Hawaiian language immersion education — and mandates the state Department of Education to develop a strategic plan for the program during the 2023-2024 school year. The bill will track academic success for approximately 1,400 kaiapuni students and create new teaching and curriculum specialist positions.
“Language is the spine of culture, and if we can’t protect and support our Hawaiian immersion schools then we probably won’t make it culturally. So this bill is extraordinary,” said Green.
Representative Daniel Holt recounted playing soccer with as a child with other children from immersion schools who conversed fluently in Hawaiian, motivating him to learn the native language.
“The community knows how important this is — to add so much money towards specific education of our Hawaiian language, which is definitely the life of our culture. It’s very important that we have this, it’s a great day,” said Holt.
“We have two official languages and it’s important that we live up to our end of the deal and fund these programs so that all of our keiki have the opportunity to learn the Hawaiian language," he added, using the Hawaiian word for children.
Lawmakers also approved Senate Bill 2937, which permanently frees the University of Hawaii, Hilo College of Hawaiian Languages from English-medium standards. This legislation reinforces Hawaii's dedication to Hawaiian language education, ensuring students can learn in Hawaiian without English-medium restrictions.
Green also signed Senate Bill 2659, which mandates the Hawaii Tourism Authority to create and maintain a "Tourism Functional Plan." The measure will update the state's visitor industry policy, focusing on sustainable development, cultural preservation, and economic diversification, with an emphasis on Native Hawaiian cultural resources.
“Sustainable tourism is essential for the future of our state,” said Green. “This bill ensures that our visitor industry grows in a way that respects and preserves our cultural heritage while promoting economic diversification.”
Other bills signed Friday include measures to protect Native Hawaiian burial sites and clarify the development of government-owned fishponds that promote ancient methods of sustainability.
Hawaiian leaders concluded Friday's bill signing ceremony with a traditional song of unity. Joining hands, officials performed "Hawaiʻi Aloha," also known as "Kuʻu One Hanau," a revered anthem expressing love for the islands.
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