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Bill

SB 269

RELATING TO THE BUDGET OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ron Kouchi

SB 269 allocates budget funding to Hawaii's Office of Hawaiian Affairs for managing trust assets and services to Native Hawaiians.

Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
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Bill Summary · SB 269

Legislative bill overview

SB 269 allocates budget funding for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), Hawaii's semi-autonomous agency tasked with managing trust lands and resources for Native Hawaiians. The bill passed the Hawaiian Affairs committee with amendments and was referred to the Ways and Means committee before being carried over to the 2026 session.

Why is this important

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs controls significant land and financial assets held in public trust for Native Hawaiians, making its budget decisions consequential for Native Hawaiian programs, education, health services, and land management. Budget allocations directly affect the scope and quality of services OHA can provide to Hawaii's Native Hawaiian population.

Potential points of contention

  • Budget amount specificity: The bill summary doesn't specify the proposed funding level, making it unclear whether this represents an increase, decrease, or maintenance of current spending
  • Trust asset management: Debates often center on how effectively OHA manages and deploys trust resources and whether current budget levels adequately serve Native Hawaiian beneficiaries
  • Governance and accountability: Questions may exist regarding OHA's financial transparency, spending priorities, and how budget decisions are made relative to community input

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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