Huge news in Hawaii!!!!
Here is the link to the pdf of the bill. And legislative history.
Here is the governor’s webpage and video on the signing of the law. The text of the governor’s release:
Honolulu –Governor Neil Abercrombie signed into law a measure that recognizes Native Hawaiians as the indigenous people of Hawai’i. Act 195 gives the Governor the power to appoint a five-member Native Hawaiian Roll Commission that will build the foundation for self-determination.
“This is an important step for the future of Native Hawaiian self-determination and the ability for Native Hawaiians to decide their own future,” stated Governor Abercrombie. “This Commission will put together the roll of qualified and interested Native Hawaiians who want to help determine the course of Hawai’i’s indigenous people.”
Act 195 starts the process that will eventually lead to Native Hawaiian Recognition. While in the U.S. House of Representatives, then-Congressman Abercrombie worked closely with U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka on moving the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, which was first introduced in 1999. In 2000 and 2007, then-Congressman Abercrombie successfully shepherded the legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives committees and won approval by the full House.
U.S. Senator Akaka, who is in Washington D.C., praised the bill signing stating: “The enactment of this bill is yet another example of Hawai’i’s ongoing desire to recognize the unique contributions and traditions of the Native people in our state. Native Hawaiian values shape our sense of identity, our sense of aloha for one another, and our sense of what is pono, what is just. This new law complements our efforts in Congress and demonstrates that the people of Hawai’i strongly support the right of Native Hawaiians to reorganize and perpetuate their culture and way of life.”
More than 150 people attended today’s bill signing ceremony at Washington Place this afternoon, including groups representing the ali’i societies and trusts; OHA trustees, Native Hawaiian civic clubs, and state lawmakers.
Governor Abercrombie has 180 days to appoint the five-member Native Hawaiian Roll Commission. The Commission will be responsible for preparing and maintaining a roll of qualified Native Hawaiians as defined by the Act. The roll is to be used as the basis for participation in the organization of a Native Hawaiian governing entity. The Commission is composed of five members, one from each county and one at-large seat. Once its work is completed, the Governor will dissolve the Commission.
“We recognize the special relationship to Native Hawaiians that is part of our public conscience, enshrined in our laws, and entrusted to our leaders,” Governor Abercrombie said. “With the signing of this bill, the State of Hawai’i is closer to the reorganization of a Native Hawaiian governing entity. As Native Hawaiians rise, all of Hawai’i rises.”
The Office of the Governor will announce the application process for consideration to be named to the Commission later this week.
Turtle Talk 
Now, are these the “native Hawaiins” or the “Native Hawaiins”. There’s a difference, you know. Both factual and legal.
Of course you have to take into consideration a few premises:
1) There are many Kanaka Maoli, Native Hawaiians, opposed to the Akaka Bill, aka the Federal Recognition Bill. Many of us do not want Federal Recognition but Independence from the United States. The annexation of Hawaii to the US was an illegal procedure, done by joint resolution, not a ratified treaty. There must be a treaty in order for annexation to be valid. Therefore Hawaii never legally became the 50th State of the Union. The vote for statehood had actually been voted by a percentage of the population who were mostly military and newly arrived immigrants with no ancestral ties to the land or the monarchy and a good portion of the Kanaka Maoli and local population, (all Hawaiian Kingdom descendants), had by that time, learned the American version of the history of Hawaii, which of course was colored to be in favor of the US where our side of the story was conveniently obscured. Furthermore, there was an overwhelming amount of Hawaiians who still knew the history but were not given the option to vote in favor of independence because at the last minute, the US struck that option from the referendum. They did not vote because the only choices that were given were to remain a territory or to become a state. Simply put, the vote for statehood was rigged to keep Hawaii and its people in the chokehold of the United States.
Act 195 and the Akaka Bill is an attempt to tighten that grip by forced coercion and misinformation. To be clear, we are happy to be Kanaka Maoli, indigenous people to Ka Pae ‘Aina. We seek and offer solidarity with our indigenous brothers and sisters across the globe. Mahalo nui loa.
Kamea Blackman
There was never a treaty of annexation; it was rejected by the U.S. Congress. Newlands Resolution is an internal bill which has not jurisdiction in another foreign country. Akaka Bill fosters the doctrines of Manifest Destiny and it is unconscionable to maintain that kind of mentality. The Hawaiian Kingdom is an internationally recognized nation-state and we don’t need to be subjugated and recognized as a tribe of native Americans of which we are not. Why would we give up our national and human rights as 1st class citizens and forced to become second class citizens of the United States of America. We protested since the U.S. invasion and formally protested in September of 1897. We continue to protest against the U.S. belligerent occupation and demand the U.S. de-occupy our country and respect and honor its treaties with us. There is also 16% of non-Hawaiians in 1890 who did not relinquish their rights as citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom whose descendants exist today. What about them?
Reblogged this on theumiverse.