HI HCR155

Urges establishment of a Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Task Force to develop a sui generis legal system protecting Native Hawaiian cultural intellectual property, traditional cultural expressions, and genetic resources.

Task Force to be established through collaboration between the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii System, and other relevant agencies, working with Native Hawaiian organizations and legal scholars.

Task Force directed to consult with indigenous communities as appropriate during its work.

Task Force must submit recommendations and any proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the Regular Session of 2022.

Recognizes that existing western intellectual property laws inadequately protect Native Hawaiian collective knowledge and cultural expressions, and cites examples such as non-Hawaiian companies claiming ownership of Hawaiian cultural terms like "Aloha" and "Poke."