STAND. COM. REP. NO. 157

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 449

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committees on Tourism and Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 449 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote economic development by:

(1) Requiring the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to establish a program that provides technology enablement for small businesses related to the tourism industry in the State; and

(2) Appropriating funds to assist in the development and promotion of Hawaii-manufactured products through the INNOVATE Hawaii program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation; Hawaii Food Industry Association; WaiHome LLC; and Cymz Sweet Kre8tionz LLC.

Your Committees find that programs operated by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation can leverage their existing partnerships with other organizations to bring new advanced technology to Hawaii to assist small businesses with development, manufacturing, operations, and marketing of "Made in Hawaii" products.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the requirement for the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to establish a program that provides technology enablement for small businesses related to the tourism industry in the State;

(2) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

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

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committees respectfully request your Committee on Finance, should it choose to deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $500,000.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism and Economic Development & Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 449, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 449, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Tourism and Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________ GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair

____________________________ ADRIAN K. TAM, Chair