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. 2617 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to help fund the completion of the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium restoration project.

The Department of Design and Construction of the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Hawaii State Commander of the American Legion, Ching Consulting, Disabled American Veterans Department of Hawaii, Disabled American Veterans Honolulu Chapter 3, Friends of the Natatorium, Historic Hawaii Foundation, National Association For Uniformed Services Hawaiian Chapter, Western Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Oahu Veterans Council, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Post 970, Waikiki Improvement Association, and numerous concerned individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Board of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Defense supported the intent of this measure, but opposed it because of its adverse impact on the Supplemental Executive Budget.

Your Committee finds that the Natatorium is recognized on the State and National Register of Historic Places and has been listed by the National Trust as one of the nation's most endangered historic sites. The City and County of Honolulu (City and County) has already committed over $11 million toward the Natatorium's restoration. The project stalled due to extensive review by the Department of Health. Construction may resume because all reviews have been completed and permits secured, but only if enough state funding is made available.

Your Committee respectfully requests that your Committee on Finance ask the City and County to be present at the public hearing on this measure, as it plays an important role in this issue.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

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. 2617, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2617, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.