STAND. COM. REP. NO. 107-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2475

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. 2475 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE HOLIDAYS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish July 31 of each year as the state holiday La Hoihoi Ea; and

(2) Remove Election Day as a designated state holiday.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Office of Collective Bargaining, Common Cause Hawaii, and Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that there is great interest in observing and celebrating the history of Hawaii. Your Committee further finds that there is significant concern about the removal of Election Day as an observed state holiday and the impact that removal may have on the ability of the State's residents to exercise their right to vote.

Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the amendment that would have repealed Election Day as an observed state holiday;

(2) Deleting language establishing La Hoihoi Ea as an observed state holiday and replacing it with language establishing La Hoihoi Ea as a special day of observance;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2044, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2475, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2475, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair