STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1263

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1922

      S.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1922, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CREATIVE MEDIA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill to lay the foundation for economic diversification through initiatives aimed at supporting creative media in Hawaii.  Specifically, this bill:

     (1)  Creates financial incentives for and appropriates monies to the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaii (UH) at Manoa for the development, planning, design, and construction of a permanent facility at UH and for equipping that facility;

     (2)  Establishes and funds a local incubator facility to develop Hawaii's digital media infrastructure for film and television productions and interactive game development; and

     (3)  Establishes and funds the Music and Enterprise Learning Experience Program at UH - Honolulu Community College to develop the artistic, technical, and business skills required by Hawaii's artists and music industry.

     Honolulu Community College, Tropical Music, Inc., the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts, Global Brain, Inc., TCR Productions, KUD International LLC, faculty of the Searider Productions Integrated Journalism and Digital Media Education Program at Waianae High School, Mountain Apple Company, and numerous individuals and students testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Department of Taxation, UH-Manoa, the Academy for Creative Media at UH, Aloha Agency, and several concerned individuals supported the intent of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1922, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committees on Economic Development & Business Concerns and Tourism & Culture.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair