STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1548

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.C.R. No. 161

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Culture & Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 161 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU, THE COUNTY OF MAUI, THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, AND THE COUNTY OF KAUAI TO ESTABLISH SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PACIFIC ISLAND MUNICIPALITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge all of the counties to establish new Sister City relationships with other Pacific Island municipalities.

Your Committee did not receive any written testimony on this measure.

Your Committee finds that the success of the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC), hosted for the first time by Hawaii in its fifty-two-year history in June 2024, demonstrates the value and importance of fostering relationships between Hawaii and its Pacific Island neighbors. Your Committee also finds that Sister City programs encourage exchanges in arts and culture, youth and education, business and trade, and community development. Your Committee believes that expanding Sister City relationships between Hawaii and additional Pacific Island communities would strengthen regional ties and further cultivate a shared appreciation of one another's people, history, and culture.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Culture & Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 161 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Economic Development & Technology.

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

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JEANNE KAPELA, Chair