STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1540-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2583

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2583, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL SPACE CENTER FOR EXPLORATION SYSTEMS AND NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION LASER COMMUNICATIONS GROUND STATION INITIATIVE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds, contingent on a dollar-for-dollar match of funds by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), for the purpose of funding an engineering assessment of the proposed venture between NASA and the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) to establish a laser optical communications ground station in the State.

NASA; JAMSS America, Inc.; Ferraro Choi; International Ventures Associates; and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Cable Television Division; University of Hawaii at Hilo; PISCES; Shackleton Energy Company; Near Earth LLC; and an individual provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2583, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2583, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair