House creates housing
and Hawaiians panel

The new committees will address
affordable accommodations and
the federal Akaka Bill

State lawmakers are planning to place added emphasis on Hawaiian affairs and housing when the Legislature convenes next month.

House Speaker Calvin Say (D, St. Louis Heights-Kaimuki) finalized committee assignments this week for the upcoming session and created two new committees devoted to those issues. Previously, Hawaiian affairs was handled by the committee that also dealt with water and land use, and housing was included in the Human Services Committee's responsibilities.

Say created the new Committee on Housing to highlight the need for affordable housing, including rentals.

"The high cost of housing today is squeezing a lot of people out of the market," he said. "The median resale price for a home on Oahu is $490,000. Who can afford that?"

Former Human Services Committee Chairman Rep. Michael Kahikina (D, Nanakuli) will head the new committee. Kahikina said he is encouraged that Gov. Linda Lingle has also focused on providing affordable homes and rentals.

Say said he created the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs in anticipation of the passage of the so-called Akaka Bill in Washington. The legislation would grant formal federal recognition of native Hawaiians.

The bill twice received approval in the U.S. House of Representatives, but failed to get a vote in the Senate. U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka said he has received assurances from key Republicans in the Senate that his bill will get a vote by August.

Rep. Sol Kahoohalahala (D, Lanai-Molokai) is chairman of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs.

The two new committees increase the number of chairmanships for the majority Democrats in the House to 19 from 17.

One other assignment change puts former Vice Speaker Sylvia Luke in charge of the powerful Judiciary Committee. Luke said she will push campaign finance reform and see whether legislation enacted this year to address "ice" abuse in Hawaii needs change or can be improved.