HB2321

SECTION 1. Section 201-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§201‑17[]] Office of international affairs; established. (a) There is established, within the department of business, economic development, and tourism, an office of international affairs.

(b) The office shall:

(1) Develop policies that promote and strengthen relations with other countries in the areas of international business, economy, culture, and the arts;

(2) Develop policies that promote transportation between, and tourism with, other countries;

(3) Develop and promote international telecommunications and high technology exchanges;

(4) Encourage the development of international sister-city programs, pairing Hawaii cities with cities around the globe for artistic, cultural, economic, educational, and faith-based exchanges;

(5) Develop and promote Hawaii as the economic, trade, commerce, transportation, banking, and tourism hub of the Pacific;

(6) Develop an international affairs and peace education curriculum that includes studies of international affairs and peace initiatives and takes a proactive, strategic approach to the development of policies that promote the prevention of national and international conflict, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict; [~~and~~]

(7) Provide for exchanges of individuals between Hawaii and other nations to develop international and peace-based initiatives[.];

(8) Support the activities of the peace mission committee pursuant to subsection (d); and

(9) Support the activities commemorating Peace Day pursuant to section 8-16.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, if any of the responsibilities or duties of the office of international affairs under this section overlap with the responsibilities or duties of another agency or authority under this chapter, the office of international affairs shall have exclusive jurisdiction and authority over those responsibilities and duties.

(d) There is established a committee to be known as the peace mission committee, which shall be placed within the office of international relations for administrative purposes. The purpose of the peace mission committee shall be to plan and develop:

(1) Peace missions to other nations and international organizations, particularly with nations and organizations that are engaged in conflict with the United States;

(2) Cultural exchange and goodwill programs with other nations' education, business, and community sectors; and

(3) Charitable donation programs with other nations, provided that the programs do not violate any treaties or international policies involving the United States.

The committee shall be a permanent body within the department of business, economic development, and tourism. The committee shall consist of seven members who shall be appointed, without regard to section 26-34.

The committee members may include members from the private, public, community at large, and academic sectors. The speaker of the house of representatives shall select two members. The president of the senate shall select two members. The governor shall select three members.

The members shall not receive compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties under this subsection. Any member of the committee shall be immune from civil liability, as provided for under section 26-35.5.

In its efforts to conduct peace missions, initiate cultural exchange and goodwill programs, and develop charitable donation programs with other nations and international organizations, the committee may seek grants from public and private sources and may accept donations to finance its projects, programs, and activities. The director of business, economic development, and tourism may direct any or as many employees the director deems appropriate to staff the committee.

The committee shall submit a written report of its activities on an annual basis to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session, beginning with the regular session of 2009."

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $500,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to be used by the peace mission committee for the purposes of this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2321
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII