A proposal giving the Hawaiian Homes Commission authority to decide whether to allow gambling on Hawaiian Home Lands — the first gambling-related bill heard in this year’s legislative session — was quickly tabled, giving some indication that such bills once again face long odds of passing.
The proposal taken up by the Hawaiian Affairs Committee was heard Wednesday and deferred after lawmakers decided more discussion and consensus were needed before moving it forward.
"It’s going to be unlikely that we will do anything with gambling this year in terms of passing laws," said House Majority Leader Rep. Pono Chong (D, Maunawili-Kaneohe). "Some of the (committee) chairs are going to hear it and try to move it forward, but I don’t see us seriously entertaining passing something this year."
Senate leaders have said they are skeptical a gambling measure could pass this year, but they expect to debate the issue.
A handful of new gambling measures introduced this year, along with measures that were carried over from last year, remain alive but so far have not been scheduled for hearings. Those measures would allow for a stand-alone casino, shipboard gambling, Internet wagering and peer-to-peer gaming, among other things.
Hawaii and Utah are the only states that do not allow gambling in any form.
The proposal heard Wednesday would give the Hawaiian Homes Commission authority to decide whether to permit gaming operations, which could include bingo, lotteries, casinos or other forms of gambling, on home lands not designated for housing. It would set up a gaming commission and impose a wagering tax on gross receipts of gaming operations, with funds going to the general fund and Home Lands Trust Fund.
Testimony was overwhelmingly against the proposal, with opponents citing the social ills associated with gambling as reason to maintain the status quo.
Those opposed to the bill included the League of Women Voters, the Hawaii Family Forum, the Hawaii Catholic Conference, Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaii, Aupuni O Hawaii and city Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration.
"This action would exploit the Native Hawaiians for the benefit of mainland gambling interests and the culture and quality of life of Native Hawaiians would not be self-sustaining, but disintegrate," said Dianne Kay of the Hawaii Coalition Against Legalized Gambling.
Alapaki Nahale-a, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands director, offered comments on the bill, saying it was not an issue about whether gambling would benefit Native Hawaiians or the state as a whole, but one of self-determination.
"The question in this bill is not whether gaming is good or bad, it’s whether Hawaiian Homes should determine whether gaming is good or bad on their land for their people," he said.
"I have full faith, not only in our commission but in our Hawaiian homestead beneficiaries, that they would vet this better than anyone else in the state of Hawaii," he said. "They would make sure that if gaming was allowed, it would be the right kind of gaming for our people and for the state and it would have safeguards in place."
Others supported the notion that Native Hawaiians and the Homes Commission should have greater authority in determining the matter and, at the very least, the discussion should occur among Native Hawaiians.
Rep. Faye Hanohano, the Hawaiian Affairs Committee chairwoman, said she felt the discussion should occur first, before the groups come to the Legislature.
"The discussion really needs to take place with the beneficiaries and with the commissioners before we can really move this forward," said Hanohano (D, Pahoa-Kalapana). "(They should) have their conversations so they know it’s something people want."
Nahale-a said he expects those discussions to take place if such a bill is passed, but having those discussions beforehand would use up valuable resources.
"Given all that we have to do to get our homesteaders a house and manage our natural resources, the issue of gaming is so volatile it’ll take a little more for me to devote the resources and energy to make gaming our solution for the future," he said. "We certainly want autonomy over our lands, but I’m not going to debate gaming — that would suck up a lot of my time and energy and it’s full as it is helping Hawaiians."