STAND. COM. REP. NO 3088

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2573

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Technology and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 2573, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE INSTRUMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and designate the ukulele as the official musical string instrument of the State.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Student Network for Action and Progress and five individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Aloha International Steel Guitar Club and twenty individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from three individuals.

     Your Committee finds that throughout the history of Hawaii, music has played an integral part in the lives of its people.  While the ukulele is a very popular instrument, the people of Hawaii, particularly the native Hawaiians, have used and continue to use a variety of musical instruments for entertainment.  A musical instrument that is indigenous to the people of Hawaii and important to the native Hawaiian culture should be designated as the official state musical instrument.  This measure recognizes the importance of music in the history of Hawaii and the Hawaiian lifestyle.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting language that:

     (1)  Requires Kids Voting Hawaii Inc. and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to collaborate to solicit recommendations, including primary and secondary student recommendations, on what instrument, indigenous to the people of Hawaii and important to the native Hawaiian culture, should be designated as the official state musical instrument;

     (2)  Requires Kids Voting Hawaii Inc. and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to submit a list of recommendations for the official state musical instrument to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2015;

     (3)  Requires the list of recommended musical instruments to include but not be limited to the ukulele, pahu drum, steel guitar, ipu, and nose flute; and

     (4)  Allows more than one musical instrument to be designated as the official state musical instrument; provided that one instrument is a kahiko instrument and one instrument is an ‘auana instrument.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Technology and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2573, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2573, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Technology and the Arts,

____________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair