STAND. COM. REP. NO. 65-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2246

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred H.B. No. 2246 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to transfer the awarding and administration of certain cultural grants from the Hawaii Tourism Authority to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.

Your Committee finds that the mission of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts is to promote, perpetuate, and preserve culture and the arts in the State. Despite this mission, your Committee notes that the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts does not have the explicit statutory authority to award and administer cultural grants that perpetuate the uniqueness of the native Hawaiian culture and community. Your Committee believes that the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts is a more appropriate agency to award and administer such cultural grants, as this function is better aligned with the Foundation's mission and the Foundation has the necessary expertise and has been administering grants since its inception in 1965.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing a standing selection committee within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to review and award cultural grants;

(2) Inserting an appropriation for an unspecified amount for three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) grant administrator positions;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 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 Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2246, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2246, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism,

____________________________

SEAN QUINLAN, Chair