Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 29 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure, is to create a joint legislative economic task force that shall establish short-term and long-term goals to diversify Hawaii's economy, and establish a specific implementation plan and timeline to accomplish the goals.

Your Committee received testimony in favor of this measure from Verizon Hawaii, Inc. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committee finds that it has been several years since the joint Legislative-Executive Branch Economic Revitalization Task Force convened to develop goals and priorities for what was then a faltering economy. Many of the Task Force recommendations were adopted by the Legislature, but much has changed and a new look is appropriate. The task force proposed by this measure would renews the effort to carefully and strategically plan for growth and diversification of Hawaii's economy.

Your Committee has amended this measure by placing the task force under the direction of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Technology and the House Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns, and opening the task force to the participation of representatives from all industries and government agencies to reflect the overall economy, chosen by their respective industry or agency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 29, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 29, S.D. 1.