STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2622

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2791

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2791 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate $150,000 in fiscal year 2016-2017 to promote, regulate, and administer the Made in Hawaii Brand Program.   

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Agriculture; K. Yamada Distributors; Meadow Gold Dairies; and Hawaii Farm Bureau. 

     Your Committee finds that managing and promoting the Made in Hawaii brand is important to Hawaii's manufacturing industry.  Your Committee also finds that enforcing the Made in Hawaii brand and accurately informing residents and visitors of products that are made in Hawaii contribute to the success of Hawaii's manufacturing industry.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that appropriating moneys to support the Made in Hawaii Brand Program will benefit Hawaii's manufacturing industry.    

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the:

     (1)  Appropriation amount from $150,000 to an unspecified sum; and

     (2)  Effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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 S.B. No. 2791, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2791, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair