STAND. COM. REP. NO. 617-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2735

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 Culture, Arts, & International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2735, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Repeal the exemption of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority from administrative supervision of boards and commissions; and

(2) Transfer certain functions relating to cultural grants from the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Tourism Authority is currently exempt from certain provisions of the law governing administrative supervision of boards and commissions. Your Committee believes that full administrative supervision of the Hawaii Tourism Authority is necessary to increase transparency of the authority. Your Committee further finds that transferring certain responsibilities of the Hawaii Tourism Authority to a more appropriate state agency ensures that perpetuating Native Hawaiian culture is better managed.

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. 2735, H.D. 1, and recommends that it 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