HI HB2179

Appropriates funds from general revenues for fiscal year 2016-2017 to cover administrative, operational, and community outreach expenses of the aha moku advisory committee.

The aha moku advisory committee advises the board of land and natural resources on land and natural resource issues using traditional Hawaiian resource management practices based on moku (regional) and ahupuaa (site-specific geographic) systems.

Notes that although the legislature passed Act 288, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012 establishing the committee and appropriating funding, those funds were never released, jeopardizing the committee's ability to fulfill its mission.

The committee has documented accomplishments including work across eight Hawaiian islands covering 46 traditional moku and 609 ahupuaa, and addressed 28 resource issues brought before the department of land and natural resources divisions.

Directs the department of land and natural resources to expend the appropriated funds for the purposes of the act, with an effective date of July 1, 2076.