STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3513

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 623

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 623, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

Small Business Regulatory Board

G.M. No. 623

BARBARA BENNETT, for a term to expire 6-30-2018,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal history and statement submitted by the nominee and finds Barbara Bennett to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Small Business Regulatory Board.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Barbara Bennett from the Small Business Regulatory Review Board and one individual.

     Ms. Bennett is currently the owner and publisher of For Kauai Magazine.  Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr., proclaimed February 7, 2014, as "For Kauai Magazine Day" and stated that Ms. Bennett's newspaper "brings in-depth community articles, has a vision to support the people and businesses of Kauai by providing a quality print publication and a state-of-the-art website, and is the most read publication on Kauai."  Ms. Bennett has served as a member of the Small Business Regulatory Review Board since December 2012.  She has also spent over fifty years in the marketplace with a diverse background in food and beverage, agriculture, retail business, sales, publishing, and other areas.

     Ms. Bennett indicated in her personal statement that she wants to continue to be a member of the Board because she knows and understands the concerns and challenges of hundreds of small business owners on Kauai.

     Your Committee finds that Ms. Bennett's past experience, as well as her continuing commitment to issues related to small business in Hawaii, will be great assets to the Board.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing,

____________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair