Hawaii Establishes Public Land Trust Working Group to Address Native Hawaiian Revenues
The Public Land Trust Working Group has been officially formed in Hawaii, with appointments completed by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), Governor Josh Green, Senate President Ronald Kouchi, and House Speaker Nadine Nakamura. This group is set to convene its first meeting in the coming weeks to address longstanding issues concerning the inventory, accounting, and distribution of revenues generated by Hawaii’s Public Land Trust. The working group's central mission is to ensure a complete and accurate accounting of Public Land Trust lands and revenues and to determine the 20% pro rata share of income and proceeds due annually to OHA for the betterment of Native Hawaiians. The group was established under Act 226, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2022, and its responsibilities were expanded under Act 32, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2026 (Senate Bill 903). OHA Board Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele emphasized that this initiative is a crucial opportunity to resolve an issue that has remained unresolved for decades.
