The resting place for Hawaiian royalty would get a dedicated source of state revenues under a bill moving through the state Legislature.

A number of Hawaiian organizations and individuals are supporting the plan to designate a funding source for repair and maintenance at Mauna 'Ala, the Royal Mausoleum, in Nu'uanu. But officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Parks Division, which operates the site, counter that the bill is unnecessary and could siphon funding from other upgrade efforts.

For many Hawaiians, Mauna 'Ala is hallowed ground. Initiated by Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, the 3.5-acre site overlooking downtown Honolulu includes the tombs of every member of Hawaiian royalty with the exception of Kamehameha the Great and King William Charles Lunalilo.

SB1294 would require the state to allocate a portion of ceded land revenues for the repair and maintenance of Mauna 'Ala, the Royal Mausoleum. The site's funding now comes from the Department of Land and Natural Resources' general operations budget. For now, the bill does not specify a percentage of ceded land revenues that would be dedicated to Mauna 'Ala. Currently, the state allocates about $90,000 annually for a curator, two part-time caretakers and related maintenance fees.