STAND. COM. REP. NO. 423

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 269

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Culture, Arts & International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 269 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII THEATRE CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Officially designate the Hawaii Theatre Center as the Hawaii State Theatre;

(2) Implement this status through an annual appropriation from the general revenues of the State; and

(3) Appropriate funds to support the work of the Hawaii Theatre Center.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Theatre Center and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawai‘i State Theatre Council, PlayBuilders of Hawaii Theater Company, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Maui Community Theater dba Maui OnStage, and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Actors' Group, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Theatre Center is the second largest proscenium performance facility in the State and is the only remaining theatre of its type in Hawaii that is recognized nationally for its historic, architectural, and community significance. Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Theatre Center has served the community for nearly a century as Hawaii's theatre without the benefits of regular, predictable support from state sources to assist in the preservation of its irreplaceable facility, staff its programs, and plan and present its events and educational programs.

Your Committee believes that regular, predictable support from the State would enable the Hawaii Theatre Center to continue to serve the community but that the State should first acquire the theatre.

Your Committee has therefore amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the official designation of the Hawaii Theatre Center as the Hawaii State Theatre upon enactment of this measure and all appropriations for the Hawaii Theatre Center;

(2) Requiring the Department of Accounting and General Services to submit a report to the Legislature detailing its plans to acquire the Hawaii Theatre by December 31, 2023;

(3) Designating the Hawaii Theater Center as a Hawaii State Theater if acquired by January 1, 2025;

(4) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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 H.B. No. 269, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 269, 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,

____________________________

ADRIAN K. TAM, Chair