STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3817

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 83

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. 83 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES, STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS, AND THE HAWAII STATE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM TO COLLABORATE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HAWAII STATE POET LAUREATE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Hawaii Council for the Humanities, State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, and the Hawaii State Public Library System to collaborate to establish a Hawaii State Poet Laureate Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities, and eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that the State of Hawaii is committed to the preservation and advancement of culture, the arts, history, and the humanities, especially literature and music. Your Committee further finds that poetry and storytelling are rich cultural traditions built into the everyday lives of the people of Hawaii. Your Committee believes that poetry brings heart and soul to all sectors of society--it promotes the love of writing in children, brings peace and respite for the ill and wounded, can be used to commemorate and honor significant life events, and instills pride and connection to cultures and places. The power of poetry, through the blending of multicultural voices, languages, and traditions in a manner that encourages dialogue, pride, and understanding, also builds and strengthens connections within and among our diverse communities and with the world. The Hawaii State Poet Laureate Program that is requested to be established under this measure will encourage the people of Hawaii to further value, embrace, and promote its tradition of poetry and contribute to Hawaii's vibrant, multicultural creative community through the power of writing, reading, and spoken words.

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. 83 and recommends its adoption.

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

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair