STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1334

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1368

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1368 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE KING KAMEHAMEHA CELEBRATION COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission's membership and its means of financing staff costs.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission is composed of members appointed to represent a variety of organizations and different islands.  The King Kamehameha Celebration Commission is in charge of arranging state celebrations and commemorations of King Kamehameha.  Amending the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission's membership will enhance the Commission's effectiveness and its organizational and administrative structures.

Your Committee also finds that the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission stopped receiving general fund appropriations in 2000.  Since then, the Commission has relied solely on private donations for support.  Additionally, the Commission's single staff member has been on unpaid leave since November 2014, leaving the Commission members to volunteer their time to perform staff duties.  Your Committee finds that paying staff through state funds, rather than donations, will boost effectiveness and efficiency of the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission and provide relief for Commission members who currently work without pay.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1368, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1368, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair