STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1123

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 449

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 449, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for the Commission on the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture to plan for the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture to be held in Honolulu from June 6 to June 16, 2024.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Tourism Authority; Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture provides a venue for celebrating indigenous cultures and traditions from throughout the Pacific region. Your Committee further finds that the festival is expected to generate up to $27,000,000 in direct sales and $3,200,000 in state tax revenues.

Your Committee has amended this measure by requiring the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to submit to the Legislature:

(1) Prior to the release of the moneys appropriated by this measure, a report detailing how any state moneys that were previously appropriated for the festival were expended; and

(2) No later than twenty days prior to each Regular Session until the moneys appropriated by this measure are expended or lapse, a report on the Commission on the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture's expenses for the preceding year.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 449, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 449, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair