Updated 5 p.m. March 4
A legislative proposal aimed at giving Native Hawaiians more of a say in the management of Maunakea has passed a second House vote.
House Bill 2024 would create a ten-member stewardship authority with seats set aside mostly for Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, lineal descendants, and natural resource experts.
It was approved with amendments Wednesday by most members of the House committees on Water and Land, Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, and Finance. It then passed a second full House vote on Friday.
Maui Rep. Angus McKelvey was one of nearly a dozen legislators that voted in committee to approve the bill with reservations, voicing concerns over the lack of public input on the measure.
"This is a triple joint single committee. This is one and done. The amendments that are being made today, while greatly appreciated, there will be no chance for the public to comment on them in another committee hearing on the House side. I think that this undermines and hurts public transparency in the process," he said.
"That being said, opponents and proponents alike have expressed that this is better than the current situation, so I will be voting with reservations because of these issues that I’ve outlined and I hope that this process can open up to the public," McKelvey said.
The bill initially banned commercial activity on the summit and also required the creation of a framework to limit astronomy, including a plan to return part of the mauna to its natural state.
HB 2024 received overwhelming opposition from members of the astronomy community as well as commercial tour operators and the University of Hawaiʻi, which currently manages Maunakea.
Lawmakers amended the measure Wednesday to remove the outright ban on commercial activity. It also sought to add a seat on the board for UH, but fell short of adding a seat for the astronomy community.
House lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the measure one more time. If approved, it will be sent to the Senate for consideration.
The mountain has been the focus of demonstrations in recent years to block the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, which would be among the planet's largest optical observatory. Native Hawaiians who led the protests believe the mountain's summit is sacred and the observatory would desecrate the land.
Rep. David Tarnas, the chairperson of the House Water and Land Committee, said the heads of the three House committees recognized the importance of Maunakea, the serious responsibility they have to manage it, and the strong opinions on all sides.
“The House is seeking a path forward that provides a substantive role for Native Hawaiians in the decision making about the management of Maunakea and provides a stable future for astronomy on Maunakea,” Tarnas said before the lawmakers voted.
Lawmakers introduced the measure in response to recommendations from a working group that House Speaker Scott Saiki appointed last year.
At the time, the speaker said the state hadn’t appropriately managed cultural practices, resources and education at the mountain. He said he hoped a new management structure would allow the state to do this.
The Associated Press reporter Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report.
