STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2607

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3007

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 S.B. No. 3007 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CULTURE AND ARTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Office of Creative Innovation within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts for administrative purposes only; and

(2) Require annual reports to the Legislature.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

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

Your Committee finds that public projects and programs provide vital services that are often valued according to their monetary public benefit. Consequently, immeasurable and intangible factors, including innovation and creativity, are neglected when evaluating these projects and programs. Enhancing innovative and creative ideas into public projects and programs will engage the public and improve overall experiences and outcomes. Your Committee further finds that the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts is emblematic of the State's commitment to supporting the arts and preserving culture in the State. This measure will establish an Office of Creative Innovation within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to assist and advise state agencies in developing more creative and innovative strategies, enhancing the overall value and delivery of public projects and programs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Authorizing the Office of Creative Innovation to contract for the provision of programs and services;

(2) Clarifying that the functions and duties of the Office of Creative Innovation shall include:

(A) Supporting and assisting all state departments and agencies with creative and innovative improvements that add creative value to their projects, programs, and endeavors;

(B) Developing creative and innovative projects, programs, and endeavors to add value to quality of life, pilot new approaches, and pursue alternative or nontraditional measures; and

(C) Identifying creative and innovative best practices used by other jurisdictions, assessing their value to the State, and innovating accordingly;

(3) Specifying that the Office of Creative Innovation's annual report shall include:

(A) Creative and innovative strategies employed by other jurisdictions that the Office has identified as having potential benefit for the State;

(B) Funds received and expended for the activities of the Office and the source of these funds; and

(C) The Office's plans and direction for the coming year;

(4) Deleting language that would have required the Office of Creative Innovation's annual report to include:

(A) Actions taken to address issues, unmet needs, and challenges relating to wellness and resilience; and

(B) Engagement with community entities and other stakeholders;

(5) Inserting a blank appropriation amount to be expended by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts for the establishment of one-full time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Executive Director Position, one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Specialist position, and other expenses;

(6) Inserting legislative findings;

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

(8) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2026; and

(9) 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 Water, Land, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3007, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3007, 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,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair