HI HR114

Urges the establishment of a Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group to develop policies and legislation protecting Native Hawaiian intellectual property rights, including traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, and art forms.

Working group shall consist of nine members appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Senate President (three each) from nominees of seven organizations including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, and Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law.

Working group members shall select a chairperson from among themselves and have authority to include additional Native Hawaiian organizations by consensus.

Working group requested to meet at least monthly and submit recommendations and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2025 Regular Session.

Addresses concerns that western intellectual property systems fail to protect collective indigenous knowledge and cultural expressions, citing examples such as Aloha Poke Co. issuing cease-and-desist letters against small poke businesses using Hawaiian cultural terms.