Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Tourism and Economic Development, to which was referred H.B. No. 662, H.D. 2, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish in statute the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame, and to create the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame Special Fund.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Lieutenant Governor, Department of Accounting and General Services, State Procurement Office, Aloha Stadium, Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame, and one individual. Comments were submitted by the Department of Budget and Finance.

The intent establishing a Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame is to ensure for all time that Hawaii's athletes whose competitive spirit and accomplishments have focused national and international attention on Hawaii will be forever preserved. Without such a facility, Hawaii's future generations of young athletes would lose a very important link with those sport greats who preceded them.

Your Committees were impressed with the testimony of Mr. Larry Price, a current radio personality and former head coach of the University of Hawaii football team, who stated that no other state has a sports hall of fame and that in his opinion, Hawaii has more famous athletes than any other state.

Your Committees are concerned whether it is proper to place the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame, a private entity, into statute. Your Committees believe that an executive order or a concurrent resolution would suffice to place the facility at the Aloha Stadium where it currently is housed. However, supporters prefer that a statute be enacted to ensure continued support and existence of a sports hall of fame, as well as a permanent place of residence.

Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting the enactment of a new chapter, including references to a special fund, and enacting a new statutory section to designate the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame as the State of Hawaii Museum of Sports History in the Islands. This concept is modeled upon existing law establishing the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum as the State of Hawaii Museum of Natural and Cultural History (section 6E-40, Hawaii Revised Statutes). As amended, this measure specifies that the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame may select a site, with preference given to a recreational facility having convenient access to tourists. According to testimony, the current location of the Aloha Stadium is ideal, being convenient for tourists traveling to and from the airport particularly for Japan tourists who normally engage in sightseeing prior to checking into their hotels.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism and Economic Development that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 662, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 662, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.