STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3395

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2474

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 Committees on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts and Economic Development and Tourism, to which was referred H.B. No. 2474, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Governor and Legislature to enter into nonbinding international cooperative agreements with foreign national governments, foreign subnational jurisdictions, and regional intergovernmental partners; and

(2) Authorize the Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission to review proposals for sister-state or province partnerships and international cooperative agreements.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that chapter 229, Hawaii Revised Statutes, established the Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission to support the State in building and maintaining strategic long-term sister-state or province partnerships that promote and enrich the people, cultures, environments, and economies of the State and its international partners. However, the existing statutes do not account for modern government-to-government work between national governments and ministries. By broadening the possible entities with which the State can partner, this measure will increase innovation, attract economic investment, and amplify Native Hawaiian voices on global issues affecting the State and future generations.

Your Committees acknowledge the concerns raised in testimony that the State should first consider if a prospective partnership with a jurisdiction will compromise the State's values and that the public should have access to and the ability to comment on considerations of partnerships with any international jurisdiction. Amendments to this measure are therefore necessary to address these concerns.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Governor may propose that the State enter into nonbinding international cooperative agreements with national governments; national ministries, departments, or agencies; provincial or regional governments; or international intergovernmental bodies relevant to the interests of the State or an international partner and may forward the proposal to the Legislature;

(2) Clarifying that the Legislature, through Concurrent Resolution or by enacting Session Law to that effect, may enter into nonbinding international cooperative agreements with national governments; national ministries, departments, or agencies; provincial or regional governments; or international intergovernmental bodies relevant to the interests of the State or an international partner;

(3) Inserting the definition of "international cooperative agreement", which means a formal recognition of a joint agreement with a focus on an issue of mutual interest or concern between the State and the state, province, prefecture, or similar governmental or political subdivision of a foreign nation, or between the State and a foreign nation, as appropriate;

(4) Amending the definition of "sister-state or province partnership" to mean a partnership between the State and the state, province, prefecture, or similar governmental or political subdivision of a foreign nation, or between the State and a foreign nation, as appropriate;

(5) Clarifying that the Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission may evaluate and develop recommendations for the initiation of sister-state or province partnerships or international cooperative agreements and forward its recommendation to the Legislature, and that the Legislature may implement a sister-state or province partnership or international cooperative agreement by either adopting a concurrent resolution or by enacting session law to that effect;

(6) Deleting proposed language that would have allowed the Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission to review proposals for sister-state or province relationships or international cooperative agreements, including agreements with national governments or ministries, and required the Commission to make recommendations to the Legislature and Governor;

(7) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts and Economic Development and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2474, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2474, 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 Committees on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts and Economic Development and Tourism,

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair