STAND. COM. REP. NO.  800-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2259

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2259, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AEROSPACE DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to support efforts to broaden Hawaii's economy by exploring the potential of establishing a space tourism industry.  This bill appropriates funds for a feasibility study for a spaceport and consultation and other expenses of applying to the Federal Aviation Administration for a commercial space transportation license.

     The Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, Enterprise Honolulu, Zero Gravity Corporation, and Rocketplane Global, Inc., testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Transportation and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Inserting a defective date of July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2259, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2259, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair