Local musicians would be exempt from State income taxes on amounts they earn from live performances in Hawaii under a measure co-introduced by Representatives Nestor Garcia, Lei Ahu Isa and several others. House Bill 2701 is scheduled for a public hearing by the Economic Development & Business Concerns Committee on Thursday, February 7, in State Capitol Room 325, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

"Many, if not most of Hawaii's musicians were struggling to stay alive even before the September 11 tragedy," said Rep. Lei Ahu Isa, committee chair. "They have added immeasurable value to the visitor experience and are an integral part of Hawaii's unique and rich culture. A limited, well-defined tax exemption might be enough to help these gifted artists survive and preserve an important piece of our heritage."

H.B. 2701, and its companion, Senate Bill 3061, could also encourage more performances by Mainland and international artists for live, worldwide broadcasts, Ahu Isa said. "This would have obvious benefits for our tourism industry and greatly improve opportunities for our talented musicians."

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