HB409

Aligns island burial councils with Native Hawaiian cultural values by removing development and landowner representatives.

This bill amends the composition of island burial councils in Hawaii to better reflect Native Hawaiian cultural values. It removes the requirement for representatives with development and large property owner interests, focusing instead on members with a deep understanding of Hawaiian culture and history. The councils will now consist primarily of regional representatives selected based on their knowledge of Native Hawaiian burial practices. This change aims to ensure that the councils' primary focus remains on the care and protection of ancestral remains, known as iwi kupuna.