STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3687

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 123

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Tourism and International Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 123, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII SISTER-STATE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE/PROVINCE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE OF HAWAII OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE PROVINCE OF AKLAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Hawaii Sister-State Committee to review and consider the establishment of a sister-state/province relationship between the State of Hawaii and the Province of Aklan of the Republic of the Philippines.

     Prior to the hearing on this measure, your Committee posted and made available for public review a proposed S.D. 1, which deletes the language of the original measure and inserts new language to endorse the participation of Taiwan as an observer in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, International Civil Aviation Organization, World Health Organization, and International Criminal Police Organization, and supports Taiwan's participation in the twenty-third anniversary of sister-state relations with Taiwan.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the proposed S.D. 1 from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and six individuals.

     Your Committee finds that President Barack Obama has signed a bill that requires the United States Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization and other international groups.  Your Committee further finds that the State of Hawaii and the Taiwan Province of the Republic of China jointly established a sister state relationship in 1993 to promote international understanding and goodwill and to strengthen a greater friendship between the residents of Hawaii and Taiwan.  Over the past twenty-three years, the bonds of true friendship and a steadfast trade partnership between Hawaii and Taiwan have blossomed, resulting in a stronger and better economic, social, and cultural exchange between the two governments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by adopting the proposed S.D. 1 and further amending the measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that this measure, amongst other purposes, supports the State of Hawaii's twenty-third anniversary of sister-state relations with Taiwan, rather than Taiwan's participation in the twenty-third anniversary of sister-state relations with Taiwan; and

     (2)  Changing the title accordingly.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 123, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 123, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Majority Leader