Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 496 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the makeup of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Commission (Commission) by requiring at least one member to be a Hawaiian cultural practitioner.

Your Committees heard testimony in support of the measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 'Ilio'ulaokalani Coalition, 'Ilio'ulaokalani Youth Coalition, Kahea, The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance, Life of the Land, and three private individuals.

Your Committees find that, as Hawaiian culture is the host culture of Hawaii, a native Hawaiian cultural practitioner should serve on the Commission to offer expertise on native Hawaiian customs and traditions. Amending the makeup of the Commission in such a way is also consistent with Article X Section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution which states that the "State shall promote the study of Hawaiian culture, history and language."

Your Committees have amended the measure to include a provision creating an Office of Hawaiian Culture and Arts (Office) within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. An additional amendment provides a dedicated funding source for this Office by stipulating that 20% of the annual revenue of the works of art special fund shall be dedicated to it.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 496, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 496, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.