Hawaii Office of Hawaiian Affairs Forms Public Land Trust Working Group to Review Native Hawaiian Land Revenues
On Nov. 4, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) in Honolulu, Hawaii, announced the formation of the newly constituted Public Land Trust Working Group, which will address longstanding questions surrounding the inventory, accounting and distribution of revenues generated by Hawaii's Public Land Trust. Members were appointed by OHA, the office of Gov. Josh Green, Senate President Ronald Kouchi and House Speaker Nadine Nakamura. The group is expected to convene in the coming weeks, select a non-governmental community member and begin a comprehensive review of trust lands, revenues and accounting practices.
The working group was originally established under Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, and its membership and responsibilities were expanded under Act 32, Session Laws of Hawaii 2026 (Senate Bill 903). Its central mission is to ensure a complete and accurate accounting of Public Land Trust lands and revenues and to determine the 20 percent pro rata share of income and proceeds due annually to OHA for the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians.
The Public Land Trust includes former crown and government lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom that were transferred to the United States following annexation and placed under the state's public trust obligations through the Hawaii Admission Act of 1959. The state currently transfers $21.5 million annually to OHA as an interim amount, while the full 20 percent share remains unresolved. The group will review the land inventory, examine how state agencies report trust revenues, identify deficiencies and develop recommendations.
(Source: Office of Hawaiian Affairs)
Source: Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：檀香山市天际线。（Wikimedia Commons，CC BY-SA 4.0） / Photo: The Honolulu skyline. (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
