STAND. COM. REP. NO. 255-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2026
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Culture and the Arts, to which was
referred H.B. No. 2026 entitled: 

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish a culture and the
arts special fund.  Collected revenues from certain art related
taxes will be deposited in the special fund for use by the State
Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA).

     The SFCA and the Honolulu Theatre for Youth testified in
support of this bill.

     Your committee finds that due to the State's poor economy,
the SFCA's grants budget has sustained cuts of nearly seventy-
five percent since fiscal year 1995.  The State's reduced support
of the SFCA has resulted in elimination and hardship for many
long-standing culture and arts programs.  

     Your committee also finds that the culture and the arts have
proven to be of great social benefit to the people of Hawaii, as
well as significant elements of the economic health of the State.

     The SFCA supports a system of non-profit culture and art
organizations that have allowed for a blossoming of artistic and
cultural endeavors throughout the state.


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 255-00
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Culture and the Arts that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 2026 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   K. MARK TAKAI, Chair