STAND. COM. REP. NO. 35

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 634
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Culture and the Arts, to which was
referred H.B. No. 634 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COMMISSION TO CELEBRATE
     THE ONE-HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE PUERTO
     RICANS TO HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to support the celebration of
the centennial of the arrival of the Puerto Ricans to Hawaii by:

     (1)  Establishing a temporary commission to arrange
          appropriate activities;

     (2)  Establishing a trust fund as a fiscal mechanism to
          receive and expend funds; and

     (3)  Appropriating an unspecified amount for the centennial
          celebration.

     Testimony in support of the bill was received from the
Puerto Rican Heritage Society of Hawaii, the Maui Puerto Rican
Association, and the United Puerto Rican Association of Hawaii,
Incorporated.  Testimony indicated that celebration activities
are already being planned, and that private contributions are
being solicited.  State funding will enhance celebration
activities, but these activities will not be solely dependent
upon state funding.


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 35
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee finds that Hawaii is a multicultural society
that is proud of its diverse ethnic heritage.  In recent years
the State has financially supported celebrations of various
ethnic groups.  Puerto Ricans have played a significant role in
Hawaii's history, and various Puerto Rican organizations are
committed to celebrating the centennial of the arrival of Puerto
Ricans to Hawaii.  This centennial celebration deserves the
support of the State as well.  However, your Committee defers to
the Committee on Finance to determine the level of that support.

     Your Committee has amended the bill by:

     (1)  Inserting the amount of $1 as the appropriation amount
          as a symbolic gesture to continue the discussion on
          this bill; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive revisions for purposes
          of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Culture and the Arts that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 634, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 634, H.D.
1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Culture and the
                                   Arts,



                                   ______________________________
                                   K. MARK TAKAI, Chair