The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii released a map today of all lands “up for grabs” should the Akaka Bill, now pending before the U.S. Senate, become law.
To see the map in an Acrobat Adobe pdf version, click here: “Akaka Bill Map file”
The map does not include private lands, although private lands conceivably could be in jeopardy if the Akaka Bill passes, especially in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision ”’Kelo vs. New London”’ in which five of nine justices ruled the government can condemn private property for another private entity. In the past, the law read private property could be condemned for a public purpose.
Several U.S. Senators and many native Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian groups concerned about the implications and long-term effects of the Akaka Bill on land ownership, taxation, taxpayer subsidies, military affairs and the justice system in Hawaii are fighting against the passage of the bill.
Gov. Linda Lingle and her attorney general, Mark Bennett, in addition to Hawaii’s congressional delegation, call these concerns over the Akaka Bill “scare tactics” and deny any additional land besides the 200,000 acres of Hawaiian Homes Lands will go to the new sovereign Hawaiian government formed under the Akaka Bill.
To see the full text of the Akaka Bill in the article “Akaka Bill (S. 147) – Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005” click here: https://tinyurl.com/eyr4k
For more information, log onto https://www.grassrootinstitute.org