STAND. COM. REP. NO. 412

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1317

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1317 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ACADEMY FOR CREATIVE MEDIA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaii at Manoa by appropriating funds for the renovations of soundstages and studio spaces within the facility at 2350 Dole Street, Honolulu, Oahu, for use by the Academy for Creative Media.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Hawaii Local; International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts, Local 665; Musicians' Association of Hawai‘i, Local 677; Teamsters Local 996; Island Film Group; and eighty individuals.  Your Committee also received a petition and statement of support of this measure signed by a few hundred individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

     Your Committee finds that the Academy for Creative Media was first established at the University of Hawaii at Manoa as the State's first film school.  Your Committee further finds that a modern and thriving film school is valuable to the State because it encourages Hawaii's creative youth to remain in the State and attracts others to pursue higher education in Hawaii, which benefits the State's film and media industries.

     Your Committee appreciates the numerous students and individuals that testified on this measure.  Your Committee finds that the Academy for Creative Media is a successful program with remarkable passion and pride expressed by current and former students and faculty, as well as by the community.  Your Committee acknowledges that the program is constrained by the temporary facilities in which it resides, and that it needs a permanent home with adequate amenities to thrive as a twenty-first century media program and a research-one education program.

     Your Committee heard testimony from the University of Hawaii System about the current condition of the former PBS building located at 2350 Dole Street, Honolulu, Oahu, and the evaluation currently taking place to determine whether this facility is an appropriate home for the Academy for Creative Media.  Your Committee appreciates that the University must balance its financial resources and assess the system-wide needs for capital improvements, but also wants to ensure that the Dole Street facility is given proper consideration as a much-needed space for the Academy for Creative Media program.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting a blank appropriation amount;

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of May 12, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1317, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1317, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair