STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3816

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 72

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 72 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A SISTER-STATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE OF HAWAII, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MADEIRA, PORTUGAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a sister-state relationship between the State of Hawaii and the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Região Autónoma da Madeira, Governo Regional, Direção Regional das Comunidades e Cooperação Externa; Região Autónoma da Madeira, Governo Regional, Secretaria Regional de Turismo e Cultura; Honorary Consul of Portugal in Hawaii; The Municipal Assembly of Funchal; Luso-American Development Foundation; Funchal Commercial and Industrial Association – Madeira Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Engnho Novo da Madeira; Pukikī Bar; and eighty-eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii has developed and maintained a rich heritage of international relations and cultural exchanges since the days of the Hawaiian monarchy in the nineteenth century. Hawaii has an abiding interest in developing goodwill, friendship, and economic relations between the people of Hawaii and the people of many nations and continues to actively seek opportunities to expand its international ties. Since establishing its first sister-state relationship in 1981, Hawaii has formed sister-state relationships with nineteen various states and provinces throughout the globe as a means of asserting and promoting the State's active participation in international matters. As of today, the State maintains sister-state relationships with nineteen states and provinces.

Your Committee recognizes that most successful sister-state relationships are established when there is commonality between Hawaii and the sister state, primarily from geographical, historical, cultural, or economic standpoints, and there is a clear, strong governmental interest in not only forming, but maintaining the relationship.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii and the Autonomous Region of Madeira share a long history and strong bond, beginning with the arrival of one hundred eighty Madeiran contract laborers in Honolulu Harbor on September 30, 1878, followed by approximately eight thousand Madeiran immigrants during the subsequent three decades. Madeira's culture, introduced to Hawaii by the Madeiran immigrants, became integral parts of the lives, tradition, and culture of the people in Hawaii, including braguinha, which became the ‘ukulele; linguiça, which became known as Portuguese sausage; and their skills as cattlemen, whose traditions shaped Hawaii's paniolo. In terms of geographic and economic standpoints, Hawaii and Madeira share the fact that they are both archipelagos of volcanic origin with tourism being one of their main economic drivers. Furthermore, according to Madeira's Regional Director of the Communities and External Cooperation, Madeira is at times called the "Atlantic Hawaii", due to its fabulous surf spots and big waves. Your Committee also notes multiple testimonies of government officials, private businesses, and individuals in Hawaii and Madeira, expressing excitement and strong support for the establishment and maintenance of this sister-state relationship.

Your Committee finds that the sister-state relationship proposed by this measure will be highly beneficial in expanding tourism, strengthening cultural bonds, and advancing common goals of international peace and fellowship. Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Sister-State Committee met on November 16, 2021, and approved a formal recommendation that a sister-state relationship be established with the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

Your Committee notes that Hawaii currently has a sister-state relationship with the Autonomous Region of the Azores in Portugal that was established in 1982, which, according to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, has not been active in recent years. Your Committee hopes that the establishment of the Hawaii-Madeira sister-state relationship will reinvigorate Hawaii's relationship with the Azores, leading to a strengthened bond among all three states.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting additional information pertaining to the Autonomous Region of Madeira; and

(2) 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 Labor, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 72, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 72, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts,

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair