Appeals Court Upholds Spending For All Hawaiians

By Associated Press

POSTED: 01:44 p.m. HST, Jul 26, 2010

A federal appeals court is upholding a decision that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs may fund programs supporting those who have less than 50 percent Native Hawaiian blood.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled Monday that OHA's trustees may spend money for several programs that benefit all Hawaiians, regardless of their blood quantum.

The court decision says OHA didn't breach its trust with spending on Native Hawaiian recognition lobbying, a program for gifted and talented Native Hawaiian children called Na Pua Noeau, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, and Alu Like, which supports efforts assisting Hawaiians' social and economic self-sufficiency.

The lawsuit was filed by five Native Hawaiians.