STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3482

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2475

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 2475, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish July 31 of each year as La Hoihoi Ea.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and one individual. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Human Resources.

Your Committees find that it is important for the people of Hawaii to learn about its culture and history. King Kauikeaouli Kamehameha III established La Hoihoi Ea in 1843 as the first national holiday in the Hawaiian Kingdom in celebration of the restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom following illegal British control. The purpose of this measure is to establish July 31 of each year as La Hoihoi Ea to recognize the accomplishments of King Kamehameha III and honor upstanding members of the Hawaiian community.

Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Labor, Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2475, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2475, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Labor, Culture and the Arts,

________________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair