STAND. COM. REP. NO. 747

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 870

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation, to which was referred S.B. No. 870 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DESIGNATION OF A HAWAII ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA SURVEY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish and designate an archaeological data survey as an on-line database program of the State of Hawaii Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from Bishop Museum.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Society for Hawaiian Archaeology submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that there is a wealth of archaeological material in Hawaii that could be made available on-line for the benefit of both cultural specialists and the general public.  Your Committee has heard a number of concerns raised, however, regarding sources of data for the on-line database, access and confidentiality issues, and possible duplication of services.

     Your Committee further finds that addressing the concerns before establishment of an on-line database is critical to its success.  To this end, your Committee requested the parties involved to discuss and recommend amendments, which would resolve most, if not all the concerns.  Your Committee thanks the organizations involved for doing so in a timely manner.

     Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, will focus first on data held by Bishop Museum for the on-line database.  In essence, this will function somewhat as a "pilot project" and allow the database to be developed, evaluated, and refined by Bishop Museum before additional agencies and organizations contribute data.

     Your Committee has amended this measure accordingly, by:

     (1)  Specifying the types of materials to be included in the on-line database, beginning with the collections of Bishop Museum;

     (2)  Authorizing the museum, in consultation with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, to withhold from the database, either temporarily or permanently, information that may pose a threat to the protection of valuable archaeological sites and artifacts;

     (3)  Making a technical amendment for the purpose of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 870, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 870, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Taxation,

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair