On March 31, the United State Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous 9-0 decision that a 1993 apology resolution from the United States for the "illegal overthrow" of Hawaii's Monarchy in the late 19th Century did not remove the State's authority to sell 1.2 million acres of land. The decision overturns a ruling by the Hawaii Supreme Court last year halting the sale of the "ceded lands" by the state until claims of ownership by Native Hawaiians could be resolved.
The high court heard oral arguments on February 25 from Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett for the State of Hawaii and Kannon K. Shanmugam representing the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). The case now returns to the Hawaii Supreme Court for further action.