STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2262

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2776

       S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2776 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Board of Directors of the High Technology Development Corporation to establish a creative film and media park and designate certain properties to be included in the park.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawai‘i at West O‘ahu; and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and High Technology Development Corporation.

     Your Committee finds that the State's production resources and educational programs, including the ongoing development of the University of Hawai‘i at West O‘ahu and the Searider Productions program at Waianae High School, provide a genuine opportunity to foster a film production industry that benefits the State and the community.  The influx of film companies has also reinvigorated this sector of the State's economy.  If a geographic area is dedicated for a film and media park to promote growth in the business of creative media and film, high school graduates who studied in programs such as the Searider Productions program would have an opportunity to obtain employment in their field within the State.

     Your Committee further finds that a creative film and media park would attract international investments in film and media production that would enable the creation of facilities and employment and the development of workforce housing.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting language to specify that any planning and designs of the park shall be coordinated with the University of Hawai‘i at West O‘ahu; and

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2776, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2776, 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, Government Operations and Housing,

____________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair