Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1889 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to establish an Office of International Affairs within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to coordinate and promote economic, social, cultural, and scientific relations with other countries.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism offered comments.

Your Committee wishes to note that international protocol for visiting dignitaries is currently handled through the Governor's office. However, there is no formal system in place for protocol assistance should it be required by the Legislature. Your Committee therefore requests that consideration be given to the possibility of incorporating a protocol function within the proposed Office of International Affairs.

Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to promote further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1889, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1889, H.D. 1.