STAND. COM. REP. NO. 71-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2253

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2253 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL SISTER-STATE RELATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to support international sister-state relationships.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's sister-state relationships serve to raise Hawaii's profile internationally and attract dynamic cooperative programs such as mutual exchanges in business, culture, tourism, and education that positively impact the State's economic growth. Your Committee further finds that providing additional funds to support these relationships will allow the State to leverage existing relationships and activities to continue to raise Hawaii's international role.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2044, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, should it deliberate this measure further, to consider appropriating $200,000 to support the State's international sister-state relationships.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2253, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2253, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair