Ceded lands

The ceded lands controversy is heating up as the case of Hawaii v. OHA comes before the United States Supreme Court next week. Governor Linda Lingle is appealing the Hawaii State Supreme Court decision that prohibits the State from selling or transferring ceded lands until the claims of native Hawaiians are resolved.

The Senate has heard two bills pertaining to ceded lands:

SB 1677 requiring a two-thirds majority vote of the Legislature before the sale of ceded lands passed Third Reading today with a unanimous vote of 24 ayes and goes to the House

SB 1085 prohibiting the sale or transfer of ceded lands has passed out of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs and next moves to the Committe on Judiciary and Government Operations

Also, two resolutions have been adopted:

SCR 40/SR 25 were adopted on the floor today urging Gov. Lingle and the Attorney General to withdraw the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court of the Hawaii State Supreme Court Decision

OHA will air a live discussion on the ceded lands case tonight at 7 p.m. on KITV4. The discussion features panelists that include Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, House Representative Mele Carroll, former Governor John Waihee, Chair of the Hawaiian Affairs Committee, Office of Hawaiian Affairs President Haunani Apoliona, and will be moderated by Skylark Rossetti. You can also view a streaming video of the discussion on the KITV4 website.

Hawaii v. OHA, the first of two cases on the Court’s docket for the day, goes before the U.S. Supreme Court next Wednesday, February 25, 2009, at 5 a.m. HST (10 a.m., EST). Arguments generally last one hour.