STAND. COM. REP. NO. 170

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 396

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development, to which was referred H.B. No. 396 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the operations and administration of, and provision of grants through, the Manufacturing Assistance Program under the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation; University of Hawai‘i System; Blue Startups; Aloha Edibles, Inc.; PacMar Technologies; Ocean People, Inc.; The Patisserie Inc.; Island Plastic Bags, Inc.; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Island Grown Foods, Inc. dba: Hawaii Food Products; Televoice 2000; Federal Industrial Corporation; Guide Star Engineering, LLC; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Orig Media; Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc.; Referentia Systems; Kō Bakery; Mana Up; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation is a key state agency in the development and support of the State's manufacturing industry, which forms an essential component of Hawaii's economy. Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation's Manufacturing Assistance Program plays an important role in assisting Hawaii's manufacturing companies increase their capacity to manufacture within the State, which decreases the State's reliance on imports, boosts the local economy, creates jobs, and develops a highly skilled technical workforce.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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 Economic Development that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 396, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 396, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development,

____________________________

DANIEL HOLT, Chair