What's Being Discussed

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held both virtually and in person at 560 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite 200, Honolulu. Three main topics are on the agenda:

• Island Burial Council stipends: The committee will consider approving funding and rules for paying stipends to Moku (district) Representatives on Island Burial Councils, as required by Act 96 (2026). These representatives help oversee the protection of Native Hawaiian burial sites.
• OHA's 2027 Legislative Package: The committee will review and consider approving specific bills that OHA plans to support or introduce during the 2027 Hawaii legislative session.
• Federal Advocacy Update: OHA staff will provide an update on the organization's advocacy efforts at the federal level.

Decisions Expected

• A vote on approving funds and procedures for Island Burial Council Moku Representative stipends.
• A vote on approving bills to be included in OHA's 2027 state legislative package.
• No vote is expected on the federal advocacy update — it is informational only.

Who Should Pay Attention

• Native Hawaiians who are OHA beneficiaries and want to stay informed about legislative and policy decisions made on their behalf.
• Island Burial Council members and Moku Representatives who may be affected by the proposed stipend program.
• Anyone interested in Native Hawaiian burial site protections or OHA's legislative priorities.

Public testimony is welcome. Oral testimony is limited to five minutes. Written testimony should be submitted at least 24 hours in advance to botmeetings@oha.org.