Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 10-5 (2026)

  Board of trustees; powers and duties

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §10-5  Board of trustees; powers and duties.  The board shall have the power in accordance with law to:

     (1)  Manage, invest, and administer the proceeds from the sale or other disposition of lands, natural resources, minerals, and income derived from whatever sources for native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, including all income and proceeds from that pro rata portion of the trust referred to in section 10-3;

     (2)  Exercise control over real and personal property set aside to the office by the State of Hawaii, the United States of America, or any private sources, and transferred to the office for native Hawaiians and Hawaiians;

     (3)  Collect, receive, deposit, withdraw, and invest money and property on behalf of the office;

     (4)  Formulate policy relating to the affairs of native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, provided that such policy shall not diminish or limit the benefits of native Hawaiians under article XII, section 4, of the state Constitution;

     (5)  Otherwise act as a trustee as provided by law;

     (6)  Delegate to the administrator, its officers and employees such powers and duties as may be proper for the performance of the powers and duties vested in the board;

     (7)  Provide grants to individuals, and public or private organizations to better the conditions of native Hawaiians and Hawaiians consistent with the standards set forth in section 10-17;

     (8)  Make available technical and financial assistance and advisory services to any agency or private organization for native Hawaiian and Hawaiian programs, and for other functions pertinent to the purposes of the office of Hawaiian affairs.  Financial assistance may be rendered through contractual arrangements as may be agreed upon by the board and any such agency or organization; and

     (9)  Adopt and use a common seal by which all official acts shall be authenticated. [L 1979, c 196, pt of §2; am L 1990, c 304, §§5, 16; am L 1996, c 240, §1; am L 2002, c 182, §3]

 

Case Notes

 

  Act 304, L 1990, was invalidated by its own severability clause when amendments made to §§10-2 and 10-13.5 by Act 304 were found to conflict with the federal Forgiveness Act (Pub. L. No. 105-66, §340, 111 Stat. at 1448), leaving court with no judicially manageable standards to determine whether office of Hawaiian affairs was entitled to the specific revenues sought in the suit.  96 H. 388, 31 P.3d 901.

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1987–2025 · leading case: Off. of Hawaiian Affairs v. State, 31 P.3d 901 (Haw. 2001).
Off. of Hawaiian Affairs v. State, 31 P.3d 901 (Haw. 2001). · cites it 10× “By adding the “equivalent to” language to HRS §§ 10-5 and 10-13, the legislature clarified that the general obligation bond fund revenue paid to OHA was income that the OHA board of trustees was authorized to manage, invest and administer, as though it were payment for OHA’s…”
Kealoha v. Machado., 315 P.3d 213 (Haw. 2013). · cites it 2× “]” HRS § 10-5(1) (2009). In 1980, the legislature set the pro rata share at “[t]wenty per cent of all funds derived from the public land trust[.”
Trs. of the Off. of Hawaiian Affairs v. Yamasaki, 737 P.2d 446 (Haw. 1987). · cites it 2× “]” HRS § 10-5(1). That the legislative action in 1979 did not represent the final word on the matter was clear from the language of the funding provision as well as the legislative history of Act 196.”
Kaapu v. Aloha Tower Dev. Corp., 814 P.2d 396 (Haw. 1991). · cites it 2× “Act 304 has been codified as HRS § 10-5(1) (Supp. 1990). If the trustees have no more than that power, then appellant has no more than that power.”
Rice v. Cayetano, 963 F. Supp. 1547 (D. Haw. 1997). · cites it 2× “HRS § 10-5. More specifically, Hawaii law specifies that the Board’s general duties include developing, implementing and updating a comprehensive master plan for Native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, to assist in the development of state and county plans for Native Hawaiian and…”
Akana v. Hawai'i State Ethics Comm'n. ICA mem. op., filed 01/22/2024 [ada], 153 Haw. 523. Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 04/16/2024. S.Ct. Order Accepting Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 06/10/2024 [ada]. (Haw. 2025). · cites it 12× “2013), and the powers and duties of the nine- member Board, HRS §§ 10-5 (2009), -6 (2009). C. Factual Background The Commission charged Akana with 53 counts of violating the fair treatment, gifts, and gifts reporting provisions of the Ethics Code.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 10-5(1) — 4 cases
Off. of Hawaiian Affairs v. State, 31 P.3d 901 (Haw. 2001). “By adding the “equivalent to” language to HRS §§ 10-5 and 10-13, the legislature clarified that the general obligation bond fund revenue paid to OHA was income that the OHA board of trustees was authorized to manage, invest and administer, as though it were payment for OHA’s…”
Kealoha v. Machado., 315 P.3d 213 (Haw. 2013). “]” HRS § 10-5(1) (2009). In 1980, the legislature set the pro rata share at “[t]wenty per cent of all funds derived from the public land trust[.”
Trs. of the Off. of Hawaiian Affairs v. Yamasaki, 737 P.2d 446 (Haw. 1987). “]” HRS § 10-5(1). That the legislative action in 1979 did not represent the final word on the matter was clear from the language of the funding provision as well as the legislative history of Act 196.”
Kaapu v. Aloha Tower Dev. Corp., 814 P.2d 396 (Haw. 1991). “Act 304 has been codified as HRS § 10-5(1) (Supp. 1990). If the trustees have no more than that power, then appellant has no more than that power.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 10-5(3) — 1 case
Akana v. Hawai'i State Ethics Comm'n. ICA mem. op., filed 01/22/2024 [ada], 153 Haw. 523. Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 04/16/2024. S.Ct. Order Accepting Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 06/10/2024 [ada]. (Haw. 2025). “2013), and the powers and duties of the nine- member Board, HRS §§ 10-5 (2009), -6 (2009). C. Factual Background The Commission charged Akana with 53 counts of violating the fair treatment, gifts, and gifts reporting provisions of the Ethics Code.”
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