STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1208

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 900

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development & Business, to which was referred S.B. No. 900, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support and improve the Hawaii Community-based Economic Development Technical and Financial Assistance Program (Program) that assists in the establishment and development of community-based enterprises in the State by:

(1)  Deleting the requirement that a "community-based organization" must be membership-based;

(2)  Reducing the membership of the Community-based Economic Development Advisory Council to ten members from twelve members;

(3)  Allowing grants to be made for the provision of technical assistance to community-based organizations;

(4)  Deleting the requirement that an applicant for a grant must show that the grant is consistent with the purposes of the Program for a continuous period of at least five years; and

(5)  Clarifying that the applicant for a grant shall comply with all state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination, which includes, among other things, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristics.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development, and Waianae Economic Development Council supported this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2038, to facilitate further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Business that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 900, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 900, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Business,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair