STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1301

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 441

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 441, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the "State of Hawaii Symphony Orchestra"; and

(2) Exempt state funds received by the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra from the requirements of chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from ABC Stores; Hawaii State AFL-CIO; Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra Society; Raffle Brain Institute; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra; Hawaii Youth Symphony; IATSE Local 665; Ballet Hawaii; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra plays a vital public role for the State's residents and visitors through its musical contributions and performances, which provide cultural and artistic enrichment to the community. Through its diverse programming, educational outreach, and community engagement, the Hawaii State Orchestra fosters a deep appreciation for the arts and provides opportunities for people of all ages to experience the transformative power of music. Your Committee believes that the Hawaii State Orchestra fulfills an important public purpose and that the funding provided by this measure would enable the Orchestra to uphold its high standards of artistic excellence, expand its educational initiatives, and reach more members of the community.

Your Committee further believes that the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra served and continues to serve a public purpose and that granting authorization to the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra to receive appropriations of state funds, exempt from the requirements of chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, complies with the public purpose requirement of Article VII, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting legislative findings in the preamble that the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra serves a public purpose and that granting authorization to the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra to receive appropriations of state funds, exempt from the requirements of chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, complies with the public purpose requirement of Article VII, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution;

(2) Inserting legislative findings in the preamble about the historic and public impact the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra has had in the State;

(3) Adding, as a purpose of the appropriation for general operating costs, additional support to increase access on the neighbor islands to music and educational opportunities;

(4) Inserting an appropriation of an unspecified amount to the State of Hawaii Endowment Fund;

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

(6) 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 441, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 441, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JEANNE KAPELA, Chair