STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1336

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 1059

      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 Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1059, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SMALL BUSINESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist small business in the state procurement process by establishing and appropriating funds for a temporary small business assistance initiative, which would include the completion of the state small business database, small business advisory group, small business office, and small business assistance coordinator position within the State Procurement Office.

The State Procurement Office, State Office of Veterans Services, Small Business Regulatory Review Board, Oahu Economic Development Board, Pelatron Center for Economic Development, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, AMEL Technologies, Inc., and two individuals testified in support.  The Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Establishing a permanent rather than temporary small business assistance initiative; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1059, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1059, 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 Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair