STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2647

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2710

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 2710 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 Hawaii and serve as inspirations to others.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Aloha Order of Merit was established to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions and achieved national or international recognition in a field either by a single event or by the totality of work that has either been pioneering in that field or that has been outstanding in the long term. Your Committee further finds that while the Aloha Order of Merit honors individuals who have made national and international contributions and achieved recognition, there should be a similar program to honor individuals who have made their mark on Hawaii. This measure will honor exceptional and notable individuals specifically for their contributions to Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding language authorizing designees of the selection committee to present the annual awards;

(2) Adding language that would establish an archive to commemorate these awards to be housed within the State Archives; and

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 2710, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2710, 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