CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 51

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 696

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 696, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE FESTIVAL OF PACIFIC ARTS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the date on which the temporary Commission on the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts ceases to exist to August 31, 2025; and

(2) Permit less than a quorum of members of the temporary Commission on the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts to discuss matters relating to official board business outside a Commission meeting as a permitted interaction matter under part I of chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to enable the members to perform their duties faithfully, provided that the Commission holds a meeting at least once a month.

Your Committee on Conference finds that Act 104, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017 (Act 104), created the temporary Commission on the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts (Commission) to plan the Festival of Pacific Arts originally scheduled to be held in Hawaii in 2020. Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019, the Pacific Community notified the State that it is postponing the Festival of Pacific Arts to 2024. Therefore, the Commission, which was to cease to exist on June 30, 2021, must be extended to fulfill its duties to plan for the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts in 2024. Additionally, Commission members have had to take on more hands-on tasks because of a lack of contractor to oversee the festival; thus, this has resulted in smaller groups of Commission members that need to communicate outside of publicly noticed meetings to carry out their tasks. Your Committee on Conference finds that this measure will balance the public interest in access to government decision-making, while simultaneously allowing Commission members to oversee the tasks necessary to running the festival.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Making it effective upon its approval; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 696, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 696, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES Co-Chair	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Chair
____________________________ TY J.K. CULLEN Co-Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair