STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1194-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2731

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2731, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BERNICE PAUAHI BISHOP MUSEUM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to support the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies, and Friends of Hokule‘a and Hawai‘iloa. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum is a distinguished scientific, cultural, and educational institution for the State, whose mission is to perpetuate Hawaii's natural and cultural heritage. Your Committee further finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced the Bishop Museum's operating revenue due to the drop in visitors. Your Committee finds that it is necessary to appropriate funds to support the Bishop Museum's core functions and support ongoing operations to preserve irreplaceable cultural treasures.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2044, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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, & International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2731, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2731, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair