STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3245

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1815

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1815, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to explicitly apply existing grant standards to Performing Arts Grants Program grants under the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, HULI PAC, Hawaiʻi Arts Alliance, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that existing statutory language for grants awarded by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts does not expressly extend grant standards to the Performing Arts Grants Program. This measure will improve accountability and uphold the fair awarding of Performing Arts Grants by explicitly providing that the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts apply consistent oversight across all of their programs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 13, 2085, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1815, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1815, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts,

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair