STAND. COM. REP. NO. 422

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1459

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 1459 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE SURFING COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the State Commission on Surfing.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Your Committee finds that surfing has a strong cultural connection to Hawaii and not enough is being done to promote Hawaii's historic and cultural influence on surfing. This measure establishes a State Commission on Surfing to promote surfing and educate people worldwide about Hawaii's cultural connection to the sport.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Moving the administrative placement of the State Commission on Surfing from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor;

(2) Amending the membership of the Commission by:

(A) Removing the Comptroller;

(B) Amending the selection of members from the Hawaiian community;

(C) Requiring the Governor to appoint members so as to ensure gender parity in the composition of the Commission as a whole; and

(D) Adding one voting member to be designated by the World Surfing League; 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 Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1459, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1459, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair