STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2012

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 520

       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 Transportation and International Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 520 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this short form bill is to amend the law relating to international affairs.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the language from S.B. No. 2267 to:

     (1)  Amend section 201-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to establish a peace mission committee of seven members within the Office of International Affairs to plan and develop peace missions, cultural exchange and goodwill programs, and charitable donation programs with other nations; provided that the programs do not violate any treaties or international policies involving the United States; and

     (2)  Appropriate $500,000 for fiscal year 2008-2009 to be expended by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, for the purposes of the Act.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to resolve a bill title-subject matter concern raised in testimony submitted for S.B. No. 2267, scheduled for hearing on January 30, 2008.  The Department of the Attorney General testified that the bill has a constitutional flaw in that the title concerns the Office of International Relations, but the subject of the bill is the statute relating to the Office of International Affairs.

     Your Committee noted in the January 30 hearing that the contents of S.B. No. 2267 would be incorporated in S.B. No. 520, Relating to International Affairs, which would resolve the title issue, and testimony submitted for S.B. No. 2267 was accepted on the subject matter.

     Testimony in support was received from the United Nations Association of the United States of America, Hawaii Division; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Education; Hawaii Lions Clubs; and one individual.  The Department of the Attorney General submitted comments regarding the title flaw.

     Your Committee notes that the Department of the Attorney General had no objection to the subject matter of the bill, and by inserting the contents under a more appropriate measure title, the concept can proceed on its merit for further legislative discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 520, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 520, S.D. 1, and be recommitted to the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, for further consideration.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs,

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair