STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2196

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2283

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2283 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII CAPITAL CULTURAL HERITAGE AREA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish the boundaries and designate in statute the Hawaii Capital Cultural Heritage Area; and

     (2)  Appropriate $1,000,000 to plan and implement programs and projects that recognize, preserve, stimulate, and celebrate the significance of the Hawaii Capital Cultural Heritage Area.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Historic Hawai‘i Foundation; Na Leo Pohai, The Outdoor Circle; Hawai‘i Capital Cultural District; Honolulu Culture & Arts District; and Kamehameha Schools.  The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that an application to the United States Congress is underway to designate central Honolulu as a National Heritage Area, which would be an expansion and further recognition of the Hawai‘i Capital Cultural District, and provide additional opportunities to obtain federal funding.

     Your Committee is supportive of this effort and the widespread community involvement in reaching this goal.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Establishing the Hawaii Capital Cultural Heritage Area in chapter 201, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to more accurately reflect the role of the Arts and Culture Development Branch;

     (2)  Adding exceptional trees to the significance of the designation; and

     (3)  Making technical amendments to correct the name of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism in the purpose section and the appropriation section.

     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. 2283, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2283, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair