CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 82-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2974

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2974, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Business Revitalization Task Force within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to identify methods to improve Hawaii's general economic competitiveness and business climate, including the mitigation of regulatory and tax burdens; and

(2) Require the Business Revitalization Task Force to submit a report to the Legislature.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the State ranks below other states in new business formations, early survival rates for startups, self-employment, and business climate. This measure establishes a task force to collaboratively and comprehensively collect ideas from stakeholders to promote economic growth in the State and propose solutions to improve the State's business economy.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee with primary jurisdiction over economic development and the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee with primary jurisdiction over economic development may invite one representative from certain industries to serve as members of the task force, including one representative from the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii;

(2) Deleting language that would have allowed certain task force members to be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses;

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2024; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2974, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2974, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DANIEL HOLT Co-Chair	____________________________ LYNN DECOITE Chair
____________________________ RACHELE LAMOSAO Co-Chair	____________________________ GLENN WAKAI Co-Chair