STAND. COM. REP. NO. 481

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1011

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 1011 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CULTURE AND ARTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Leadership Awards Program to honor individuals who have made considerable and outstanding contributions to the State and serve as inspirations to others.

Your Committee received support on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and three individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Your Committee finds that there is currently no award that is analogous to the Aloha Order of Merit for important accomplishments at the state level. The Aloha Order of Merit honors individuals who have achieved national or international recognition for accomplishments in their respective fields, but not for accomplishments specifically recognized mainly within the State. This measure will address this deficit by establishing the Hawaii Leadership Awards Program to specifically acknowledge those who have made significant contributions to the State of Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the administration of the Hawaii Leadership Awards Program from the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts to the State Archives;

(2) Requiring the awardee's story and a statement of recognition to be added to a permanent archival exhibit of awardees, to include those from the Aloha order of Merit, and also be archived in the State Archives;

(3) Amending the membership of the selection committee to be comprised of:

(A) One individual appointed by the President of the Senate;

(B) One individual appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(C) One individual appointed by the Governor;

(D) One individual appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and

(E) One member from the State Archives;

(4) Requiring the State Archives to coordinate with respective stakeholders to administer and execute the Program; and

(5) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1011, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1011, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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CHRIS LEE, Chair