STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1920-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.C.R. No. 146

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 146, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE STATE TO CONSIDER THE INITIATION OF A SISTER-STATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HAWAII AND THE SPANISH PROVINCE OF THE BALEARIC ISLANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage the State to consider the initiation of a sister-state relationship between Hawaii and the Spanish province of the Balearic Islands.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from five individuals. Your committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committee finds that pursuant to section 229-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the initiation of a sister-state relationship between Hawaii and another state or province follows an evaluation and recommendation by the Hawaii Sister-State Committee, which then forwards its recommendation to the Legislature for its consideration. Your Committee further finds that the province of the Balearic Islands, also known as Baleares, is comparable to Hawaii in many ways, including but not limited to geography, tourism, housing, climate, numbers of county councils governing the islands, and economies and work forces that rely on tourism. Your Committee concludes that the combination of similar experiences between Hawaii and Baleares affords a valuable opportunity to develop, learn, and confront the most pressing issues affecting both places.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing who is urged to consider the initiation of a sister-state relationship between Hawaii and Baleares from the State to the Hawaii Sister-State Committee;

(2) Amending its title accordingly; and

(3) 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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 146, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 146, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

ADRIAN K. TAM, Chair