Urging The aha Moku Advisory Committee To Follow Its Adopted Rules Of Practice, Fulfill Its Statutory Duties, Establish Policies To Assure Consistent Standards Of Administrative And Managerial Accountability; And Convening A Working Group To Make Recommendations.
HCR179 is a House Concurrent Resolution addressing the operation of the ʻAha Moku Advisory Committee, a DLNR-attached advisory body created to advise the State on Native Hawaiian traditional and customary resource management practices. The resolution recites the history of the ʻaha moku process and the committee’s creation, then states that the committee has not consistently followed its adopted Rules of Practice and Procedure, has not regularly held publicly noticed meetings, and has lacked publicly available agendas, minutes, reports, and other records. It urges the committee to comply with its rules, fulfill statutory duties, and conduct its work in a manner consistent with public accountability requirements.
The measure also calls for the committee to ensure that advisory positions are adopted only in properly noticed public meetings under the Sunshine Law, and to adopt administrative and managerial policies that promote consistent standards of governance and oversight. In addition, it requests the convening of a working group to review the committee’s policies, administration, finances, and operations and to recommend improvements, including any proposed legislation, by early 2027. The working group would include appointees from the Senate, House, the committee, DLNR, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Because this is a concurrent resolution, it does not directly amend the Hawaii Revised Statutes or create new binding legal requirements. Instead, it expresses the Legislature’s position and urges the committee and related agencies to take corrective action. Its practical effect is to place legislative pressure on the ʻAha Moku Advisory Committee to improve transparency, governance, reporting, and compliance with existing law, especially the Sunshine Law and the committee’s statutory duties.
The general sentiment reflected in the bill is critical but constructive. The resolution acknowledges the importance of the ʻaha moku framework and the committee’s role in Native Hawaiian resource management, while expressing concern that the committee’s operations have fallen short of expectations. The tone suggests support for the committee’s mission, paired with a desire for stronger accountability and more consistent administration.
The main point of contention is the committee’s alleged failure to follow its own rules, hold regular public meetings, maintain records, and clearly manage its executive director and budget in an open and accountable way. The bill also references concerns within the Native Hawaiian community about representation and transparency, while noting that independent island councils and community groups are not the target of the measure. The only recorded vote shown is favorable, with the Senate Water, Land, and Agriculture Committee passing the measure unanimously with amendments.
HCR179 does not change state law directly, but it targets the administration of the ʻAha Moku Advisory Committee, which was established by Act 288 (2012) and attached to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. The resolution seeks to influence how the committee operates by urging compliance with its adopted rules, the Sunshine Law, statutory reporting duties, and public-meeting requirements. It also calls for a multi-agency working group to review the committee’s governance, finances, and operations and to recommend improvements or proposed legislation, potentially leading to future statutory or administrative changes affecting DLNR, OHA, the committee, and related Native Hawaiian resource-management policy.
The overall sentiment is supportive of the ʻaha moku concept and the committee’s mission, but sharply concerned about how the committee has been functioning. The resolution reflects a desire to preserve and strengthen Native Hawaiian traditional resource management while insisting on transparency, regular meetings, and accountable administration. The recorded committee action indicates the measure moved forward favorably and unanimously in the Senate Water, Land, and Agriculture Committee, suggesting broad support for the oversight message.
The central controversy is whether the ʻAha Moku Advisory Committee has been operating in compliance with its own rules and with the Sunshine Law. The bill cites concerns about the lack of publicly noticed meetings, missing agendas and minutes, unclear reporting, and the apparent inability to oversee the executive director or make budget and salary decisions in an open process. It also references concerns about representation and whether advisory positions have been issued without proper public deliberation. Supporters of the resolution appear focused on accountability and governance reform, while the underlying committee and some community members are implicated by the criticism, though the measure explicitly distinguishes the statutory committee from independent ʻaha moku councils and community groups.