THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

199

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

rEQUESTING THE HAWAII WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, AND VSA ARTS OF HAWAII-PACIFIC TO JOINTLY CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO EXAMINE STRATEGIES FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE THAT WILL CREATE ACCESS TO SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND CAREERS IN CREATIVE INDUSTRIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN HAWAII.

 

 

WHEREAS, the need to develop a comprehensive, strategic plan to create access to creative industries was determined by an interagency study, "Artists Mean Business," in Hawaii from 2003 to 2004, funded by the Social Security Administration, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the United States Department of Education; and

WHEREAS, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific were designated as the statewide managers of the "Artists Mean Business" study, the first such study in the nation that reported its findings to the Legislature and the executive branches of state government; and

WHEREAS, the study identified barriers to access to business education, training, and information, and the creation of small business and marketing plans for people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the study also identified strengths inherent in the culture and social networks of Hawaii that would contribute to the success of careers in creative industries for people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the study also indicated a natural, viable market for the creative, culture-based products of Native Hawaiian, South Pacific Islander, and artists with disabilities in Hawaii, marketing and other aspects of the tourism industry; and

WHEREAS, the findings of the study resulted in recommendations for systems change to overcome barriers to access in workforce developmental council partners and small business infrastructure to advance creative industries for people with disabilities, and a proposal to the Legislature for a statewide artists' collective and a statewide career coalition; and

WHEREAS, it has been shown that creative industries may provide successful and, in many cases, the only successful career pathways for people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, it has also been shown that, among the two hundred forty thousand people of working age with disabilities in the State, according to Department of Health figures, seventy-five per cent are unemployed, underemployed, or considered unemployable; and

WHEREAS, there are about four hundred nonprofit arts organizations in Hawaii that contribute more than $200,000,000 to the State's economy, and could provide internships, apprenticeships, and other professional development opportunities, in addition to permanent, paid jobs to people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the task force created by the Hawaii Work Force Development Council, the University of Hawaii, and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific would be comprised of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; the Department of Human Services; the Department of Education; the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; and other public and private stakeholders in the emergence of creative industries for people with disabilities in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii has taken a leading role as a national and international model in a global trend toward creating successful employment and self-employment opportunities in creative industries for people with disabilities; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the House of Representatives concurring, that Hawaii Workforce Development Council, the University of Hawaii, and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific are requested to jointly convene a task force to examine strategies for systems change to create access to small business development and careers in creative industries for people with disabilities in Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Work Force Development Council, the University of Hawaii, and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific are requested to report their findings and recommendations for effecting systems change and creating access to small business development and careers in creative industries for people with disabilities in Hawaii to the Governor and the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2005; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Hawaii Work Force Development Council, the President of the University of Hawaii, and the Chief Executive Officer VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific.

Report Title:

Public Assistance; DHS/DLIR Study Incentives to Work