STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1480

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 732

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 732, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE HOLIDAYS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Designate the second Monday in October of each year as Indigenous Peoples' Day, a state holiday; and

(2) Repeal the designation of election days as state holidays.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Volcano School of Arts & Sciences, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Office of Collective Bargaining, and Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that efforts to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day or Native American Day began in 1992 and have spread to seventeen states and the District of Columbia. In 2021 and 2022, President Biden issued a proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples' Day on the second Monday of October, honoring the sovereignty, resilience, and immense contributions that Native Americans have made to the world. Your Committee further finds that observing Indigenous Peoples' Day in Hawaii would recognize the resilience of indigenous peoples around the world, including Native Hawaiians, and honor those who first inhabited the Hawaiian islands.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the establishment of Indigenous Peoples' Day to an observed day, rather than a state holiday;

(2) Retaining the designation of election days as state holidays;

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

(4) 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. 732, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 732, 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,

____________________________

ADRIAN K. TAM, Chair