STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 263-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.B. No. 1889

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on International Affairs and Economic Development & Business Concerns, to which was referred H.B. No. 1889 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to re-establish an Office of International Affairs (Office) within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT). This Office, among other things, will be responsible for:

(1) Developing policies that strengthen relations with other countries;

(2) Promoting, developing, and encouraging economic, social, cultural, and scientific relations with other countries; and

(3) Studying and promoting issues relating to peace-based initiatives.

DBEDT supported the intent of this measure. However, based on its projections that it will cost $200,000 to initiate the Office, DBEDT expressed concerns about its cost implications.

Your Committees find that the Office of International Affairs by helping to coordinate the public and private sector, will help promote Hawaii as a bastion of international leadership in the Pacific.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on International Affairs and Economic Development & Business Concerns that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1889 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on International Affairs and Economic Development & Business Concerns,

____________________________ JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Chair		____________________________ HELÉNE H. HALE, Chair