The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is asking the state Legislature for more than $2 million to fund 13 full-time positions over the next two years.
OHA CEO Stacey Ferreira pleaded her case to the Senate Joint Committee on Ways and Means, and Hawaiian Affairs on Monday. She said the staff positions within OHA will be focused on developing and implementing the agency’s Mana i Mauli Ola strategic plan.
The plan is OHA’s 15-year blueprint focusing on educational pathways, health outcomes, quality housing and economic stability.
“This specialized team is crafted to carry out specific strategies and develop new tactics that can effectively address and improve the conditions of Native Hawaiians, while facilitating the pursuit of Native Hawaiian recognition and self-governance, Ea,” spokesperson Bill Brennan said in an email.
OHA is a semi-autonomous agency created to better the conditions of Native Hawaiians. It’s funded by income from a public land trust, which includes land taken during the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
The agency has a $60 million operating budget.
