Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 426, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a single state internet website to provide specific information about the State.

In particular, this measure requires the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in consultation and cooperation with 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.

This measure also requires the Department to: create an internet website for government agencies and the public to serve as a single point of access to the data gathered; and disseminate the information collected and analyzed to government agencies and the public on a timely basis. The data is to be in a format that is easily accessible and manipulated to conduct comparisons, cross-references, and comprehensive analysis.

Your Committee finds that, as the State embarks on an aggressive economic agenda, it is imperative that Hawaii's entrepreneurs, investors, and businesses have the necessary tools to prosper in the New Economy. The characteristics of the New Economy include an increase in knowledge-based jobs, higher levels of entrepreneurial dynamism and competition, increased product and service diversity, constant technological innovation, and the replacement of hierarchical organization structures with networked learning organizations.

Your Committee further finds that Hawaii's public policies and legislative initiatives must foster not only a positive business climate, but provide the necessary building blocks for competing in the New Economy. Your Committee finds that establishing a single state internet website to provide economic, demographic, environmental, and social science data about the State, as provided in this measure, will help to create a more positive business climate, as well as enhance the State's ability to compete in the New Economy.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 426, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.