STAND. COM. REP. NO. 420

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 601

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and International Affairs and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 601 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Amend the membership, mission, and purpose of the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission;

     (2)  Authorize the Chairperson of the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission to appoint an advisory committee for historical and archival matters;

     (3)  Authorize the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission to appoint an Executive Director;

     (4)  Establish the King Kamehameha celebration special fund; and

     (5)  Appropriate funds for expenses arising out of the annual King Kamehameha Day celebration events.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Makaha Hawaiian Civic Club, Ali‘i Pauahi Hawaiian Civic Club; Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; O‘ahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Ke One O Kākuhihewa, O‘ahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; Waimānalo Hawaiian Homes Association; and twelve individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committees find that King Kamehameha was a leader for all people of Hawai‘i, regardless of island or county residency.  Therefore, it is only fitting that as the population of each island grows, the composition of the membership of the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission likewise grow in order to be as equitable as possible.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Increasing the membership on the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission to fifteen by adding representation for the island of Lana‘i;

     (2)  Deleting language that would have required the Governor to appoint four at-large members representing each of the counties to the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and International Affairs and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 601, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 601, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and International Affairs and the Arts,

________________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair