Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Sunday, March 31, 2013
SJR12: Schatz, Hirono Tinker with Hawaiian Homelands Blood Quantum
By Andrew Walden @ 8:24 PM :: 10584 Views :: Democratic Party, DHHL, Congressional Delegation

by Andrew Walden

California gaming tribes have infamously tightened their blood quantum to kick out members and keep a larger cut of the casino royalties for the survivors. Sen Dan Akaka's final version of his eponymous bill allowed the Akaka Tribe to: "grant, deny, revoke, or qualify membership without regard to whether any individual is considered to be a member of the Native Hawaiian people under this Act." And likewise, blood quantum disputes have been a feature of internal politics within the Department of Hawaiian Homelands.

Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono March 21 introduced SJR12, the so-called "Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act of 2013" which would loosen Hawaiian Homelands blood quantum restrictions by allowing leaseholds to be inherited by a larger class of 25% Hawaiian heirs of the original 50% Hawaiian assignee.

It is doubtful that SR12 will ever become law, more likely the Senators--with an eye towards the 2014 Senate Democratic Primary--are one-upping their arch-enemy, Rep Colleen Hanabusa, whose HR231 version of the "Opportunity Act" includes nothing about expanding the list of possible heirs for DHHL leaseholds.

For most of its 92 years--the recent tenure of Micah Kane being the one notable exception--DHHL infighting has prevented the Department from fulfilling its mission. The infighting is perpetuated by the fact that beneficiaries possess no equity in the land on which they live. The leasehold structure of Hawaiian Homelands keeps beneficiaries at the mercy of DHHL trustees. DHHL leasehold rules are enforced erratically, creating a condition where some beneficiaries are in technical violation and therefore maintaining their lease solely because DHHL officials choose not to notice.

Just this February, blood quantum was at the center of a dispute over the termination of former DHHL Deputy Director Michelle Kauhane who was fired by incoming DHHL director after Kauhane refused to enforce a mandatory re-check of the blood quantum of already-approved DHHL waitlisters.

Kauhane had earlier replaced Bobby Hall who stepped down amid allegations of improprieties involving the alleged purchase of an executive treadmill with Department funds.

Kauhane explained: "Once we issue a lease to a Native Hawaiian and say you're on the waitlist or you're 50%, you're eligible for this benefit, what would prompt us then to say, 5 years from now, 10 years from now, you're less than 50 percent?"

KHON's Gina Mangieri asked viewers to “Imagine living on Hawaiian home lands for most of your life, only to be told you're now not Hawaiian enough.”

Those kinds of imaginings can make waitlisters beholden to the politicians who control the list. And apparently Schatz, Hirono, and Hanabusa know it.

---30---

Related: Akaka Bill Preview: Tribes Boot Members Keep Loot

Akaka Tribe: We Can Kick Out Anybody Anytime for Any Reason

SJR 12 would federalize the first section of each of the following three Hawaii laws:

CNHA: Hawaiian Policy Center Applauds Department of Interior and Hawaii Senators on Hawaiian Homes Amendments

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii