HB1889 SD1 SSCR3027

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3027

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1889

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Environment, and International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1889, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Office of International Affairs to coordinate and promote peace through improved economic, social, cultural, and scientific relations with other countries.

The Representative from the Fourth District submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) submitted comments.

DBEDT is responsible for functions that were formerly assigned to the Office of International Relations before it was dissolved in 1994. Since that time, our State's international activities have greatly accelerated under DBEDT. Currently, the Director of DBEDT must divide his attention between the international activities and the other responsibilities of the department. The coalescence of international activities under one office with an executive director will focus attention on international activities, thereby increasing the quality of public-private sector communication and coordination.

Your Committee recognizes Representative Heléne Hale's abiding dedication to the establishment of an Office of International Affairs to coordinate and promote economic, social, cultural, and scientific relations with other countries. The Director of DBEDT testified that the office or a program should be named after Representative Heléne Hale in recognition of her commitment to this endeavor.

Your Committee finds that the Office of International Affairs proposed in this measure will assist DBEDT in carrying out the State's international activities more effectively.

Your Committee amended this measure by:

(1) Rewording the purpose section to reflect that the office shall be known as the Heléne Hale Office of International Affairs;

(2) Requiring that the office be known as the Heléne Hale Office of International Affairs;

(3) Requiring that the international affairs and peace education curriculum be named in recognition of Heléne Hale;

(4) Requiring that if any of the responsibilities or duties of the Office of International Affairs overlap the responsibilities or duties of another agency or authority under the chapter, the Office of International Affairs shall be responsible for those responsibilities and duties; and

(5) Making the measure effective upon approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Environment, and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1889, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1889, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Environment, and International Affairs,

		____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair