HI SB2854

Consolidates five separate island burial councils (Hawaii, Maui/Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai/Niihau) into a single statewide island burial council to address chronic quorum problems and canceled meetings.

Establishes council membership of 6-12 total members with no more than 2 representatives per island, with 25-33% representing development and large landowner interests and the remainder representing Hawaiian community and cultural interests.

Requires council meetings to rotate among the islands with no island hosting more than 2 meetings per year, and establishes that a majority of seated members constitutes a quorum.

Designates the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources (or designee) to serve as the statewide council's chair, eliminating the previous requirement for the council to elect its own chairperson.

Effective July 1, 2012, with authority to address burial site preservation, relocation determinations, and discovery of human remains across all Hawaiian islands.