CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 15

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2011

RE:    S.B. No. 758

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 758, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SMALL BUSINESS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the use of Hawaii Compliance Express for small-business vendors, affording them the same savings of time and money in the contracting process.

     Your Committee on Conference is in agreement that this measure will prove beneficial for Hawaii's small businesses, which is particularly important under the current economic conditions as small businesses account for the bulk of the registered businesses in Hawaii.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Including language in the purpose section regarding the current requirement that vendors provide proof of compliance with applicable laws in order to receive state and county contracts greater than $15,000;

     (2)  Clarifying that the use of Hawaii Compliance Express shall apply to all contracts and procurements of $2,500 or more; and

     (3)  Changing the effective date from October 1, 2011, to July 1, 2011.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 758, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 758, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair	____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair
____________________________ ISAAC W. CHOY, Co-Chair