HB2117 HD1

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that arts programs play a critical role in supporting student learning, cultural preservation, community well-being, workforce development, and the State's creative economy. Arts education and programming are delivered across a wide range of settings, including public and private schools, municipal services, nonprofit organizations, and private businesses.

The legislature further finds that while certain counties have developed robust geographic information system databases and mapping tools to support planning and public access to information, those tools are limited in geographic scope and do not comprehensively capture statewide data relating to arts education or the creative economy. The State lacks a centralized, comprehensive, and publicly accessible statewide database that identifies the availability, geographic distribution, and scope of arts programs and services across all counties. The absence of this information makes it difficult for nonprofit administrators, business leaders, philanthropists, lawmakers, educators, and grant makers to identify gaps in access, coordinate services, and make informed decisions regarding policy, funding, and program development.

The legislature further finds that advances in geographic information systems and open data platforms provide an opportunity to collect, organize, and present arts data in a manner that is transparent, accessible, and useful to communities statewide.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a task force to:

(1) Conduct a statewide survey of schools, municipal services, nonprofit organizations, and private businesses engaged in arts and arts education; and

(2) Develop a comprehensive, publicly accessible statewide database and geographic information system map of arts entities and programs.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established an arts data and mapping task force, to be known as the mapping of arts data for education task force, or the MADE task force. The task force shall consist of the following members or their designees:

(1) The president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Youth Symphony, who shall serve as the chairperson of the task force;

(2) The executive director of the Hawaii Arts Alliance;

(3) The arts and culture program director of the Hawaii Community Foundation;

(4) The chair of the senate standing committee with primary jurisdiction over culture and the arts;

(5) The chair of the house standing committee with primary jurisdiction over culture and the arts;

(6) The Hawaii statewide geographical information systems program manager;

(7) A representative from the Hawaii Data Collaborative;

(8) A representative from the state foundation on culture and the arts;

(9) A representative from the department of education;

(10) An alumni or student from the Hawaii Youth Symphony;

(11) A representative from the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools;

(12) A representative from the state public charter school commission; and

(13) A representative of a neighbor island arts education program.

(b) The task force shall:

(1) Design and conduct a statewide survey of public and private schools, municipal services, nonprofit organizations, and private businesses engaged in arts or arts education;

(2) Identify the types of programs, services, populations served, and geographic distribution of arts activities statewide;

(3) Develop and maintain a comprehensive statewide database of arts entities and programs;

(4) Create a publicly accessible geographic information system map of the data collected pursuant to this section;

(5) Identify barriers to access and underserved areas; and

(6) Make recommendations regarding the ongoing collection, maintenance, and public dissemination of arts data.

(c) The mapping of arts data for education task force shall be responsible for developing a statewide dataset that supports equitable access to arts education. The dataset shall be descriptive in nature and designed to identify the availability and geographic distribution of arts education opportunities in Hawaii. The dataset shall not measure the quality, outcomes, or effectiveness of any program, service, or entity included in the database.

(d) The mapping of arts data for education task force shall submit an interim report of its findings related to music and dance to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2027. The task force shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, on the arts in general and arts education programming to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2029.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2117
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII