HI HCR114

Supports the Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group's request for additional resources and a timeline extension through fiscal year 2026-2027

The Working Group was originally established by H.C.R. No. 108 (2023) to develop solutions preventing inappropriate appropriation of Native Hawaiian intellectual property, with recommendations due before the 2025 legislative session

Members include representatives from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law, State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, and several other Native Hawaiian organizations

Additional time is needed to conduct culturally appropriate community consultations to ensure recommendations reflect the collective concerns and aspirations of Native Hawaiians

Hawaii's creative industries generate $5.6 billion in gross domestic product, with Hawaiian culture central to the tourism industry, underscoring the importance of protecting Native Hawaiian intellectual property