STAND

STAND. COM. REP. 1065

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 1253

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns, to which was referred S.B. No. 1253, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ECONOMIC DATA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide objective benchmarks in measuring Hawaii's progress in transitioning towards a globally competitive economy by requiring the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to track and annually report on certain new economy indicators for the State.

In addition, this bill requires DBEDT to collaborate with higher educational institutions, economists, and other public-private partners to make its new economy indicators available to the widest extent possible.

Enterprise Honolulu supported the intent of this bill. DBEDT opposed this measure.

Your Committee recognizes the critical need for information related to the New Economy, including data related to the development and growth of high technology in the State. Your Committee notes that S.B. No. 426, S.D. 1, also contains provisions, including the establishment of a state website, that expand data collection and dissemination conducted by DBEDT.

In light of this, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Incorporating the provisions of S.B. No. 426, S.D.1, which requires:

(A) The Director of DBEDT, in consultation and cooperation with all affected government agencies, to inventory all economic, demographic, environmental, and social science data available from all government agencies and relevant data from other jurisdictions, including data and indices related to the high technology industry;

(B) DBEDT to disseminate the information collected and analyzed to government agencies and the public on a timely basis; and

(C) DBEDT to create an Internet website for government agencies and the public to serve as a single point of access to the data collected;

and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style and clarity.

In spite of the increased public access provided by this bill as amended, it is not the intent of your Committee to infringe upon the civil liberties and the rights of confidentiality and privacy that are afforded to the entities affected by this bill. This bill is intended to allow better tracking and collection of economic data, not individuals. If this continues to remain a concern, your Committee supports future legislative efforts to address this issue.

Your Committee believes that inclusion of the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs and the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization in the data collection and analysis provisions contained in this bill warrants favorable consideration and supports future legislative efforts to include these entities in this bill.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1253, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1253, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns,

		____________________________ BRIAN SCHATZ, Chair