Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism and Culture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2186 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the Filipino Centennial Celebration Commission (Commission) for the 2006 Filipino Centennial Celebration.

The Commission, Ilocos Surian Association of Hawaii, Filipino Community Center, and numerous concerned individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure. The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts offered comments on this measure.

Your Committee notes that Act 159, Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 2002, established the 15-member temporary commission to plan for the centennial anniversary of the arrival of the Filipino people in Hawaii and to honor their significant contributions to Hawaii's development, and their culture and heritage. The Commission is also charged with the development, planning, and coordination of various program activities to be scheduled throughout the year. However, Act 159, SLH 2002, did not appropriate any funds for the Commission's work, and only allowed it to seek grants from public and private sources and accept donations.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Providing for matching funds from the Commission; and

Your Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Finance change the expending agency to the Office of the Governor, under which the Commission was placed for administrative purposes, pursuant to Act 159, SLH 2002.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Culture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2186, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2186, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.