STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2165

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2113

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 2113 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAII TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation for its manufacturing assistance programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation; University of Hawaiʻi System; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Holomua Collaborative; Oceanit; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc.; MorphOptic, Inc.; Big Island Coffee Roasters; Ai.Fish LLC; Experiad, LLC; Blue Startups; Koloa Rum Company; Hawaii Fish Company, Inc.; Tea Hawaii & Company; ThriveHI; Hoʻonui, LLC; Kō Bakery; Island Plastic Bags, Inc.; Island Grown Foods, Inc. dba Hawaii Food Products; Mana Up; Aloha Shoyu Company, Ltd.; Hawaii Venture Capital Association; Startwise, Inc.; WaiHome, LLC; Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; Work Now Hawaii; KAI Hawaii, Inc.; Hawaii Standard Time Brewing; Ten Tomorrow; Ocean Era, Inc.; Hawaii Biotech, Inc.; Oceanic Imaging Consultants, Inc.; Hub Coworking Hawaiʻi; Guide Star Engineering, LLC; Hidden Gears; Sultan Ventures; XLR8HI; Cloudstone Innovations, Inc.; and eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that the State's manufacturing industry is a critical part of the State's economy and ongoing diversification efforts. Continued funding for the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation's programs such as the Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research Program, Manufacturing Assistance Grant Program, and Accelerator Grant Program, are crucial to moving innovation, commercialization, and manufacturing efforts forward in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2113, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2113, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________

LYNN DECOITE, Chair