STAND. COM. REP. NO. 799-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1956
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
1956 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SMALL BUSINESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this Act is to assist small businesses in
this State by:

     (1)  Making the law enacting the Small Business Regulatory
          4Flexibility Act and the Small Business Defender
          permanent;

     (2)  Transferring the Small Business Regulatory Review Board
          and the Small Business Defender Position to the
          Department of Budget and Finance for administrative
          purposes; and

     (3)  Appropriating funds to the small business defender.

     The Hawaii Automotive Repair and Gas Dealers Association,
the Big Island Business Council, the Small Business Regulatory
Review Board, and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii testified in
support of this bill.  The Department of Business, Economic
Development, and Tourism supported the intent of the bill.  The
Hawaii Business League supported the bill but expressed some
concerns.  The Department of Budget and Finance expressed
concerns about the bill.
t

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 799-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the expending agency from the Small Business
          Defender to the Department of Budget and Finance;

     (2)  Changing the appropriation amount to $1 to facilitate
          further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
1956, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1956, H.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair