Report Title:

Sister-State Relationships; Statutory Authority

Description:

Statutorily establishes a Hawaii sister-state committee to recommend sister-state or sister-province relationships for the legislature's action. (SD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1890

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to SISTER STATE AND PROVINCE RELATIONSHIPS.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to statutorily reestablish the process for initiating and maintaining sister-state and sister-province relationships as outlined by the state office of international relations in 1993.

SECTION 2. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

SISTER-STATE AND PROVINCE RELATIONSHIPS

§   -1 Short title. This chapter shall be known as the Sister-State Act of 2006.

§   -2 Definition. For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, "sister-state or province relationship" means a relationship between the State of Hawaii and the state or province or similar governmental or political subdivision of a foreign nation.

§   -3 Hawaii sister-state committee. There is established the Hawaii sister-state committee, to be placed within the department of business, economic development, and tourism for administrative purposes only, consisting of five members appointed by the governor as provided in section 26-34. The governor shall appoint five members, one member from each of five lists of nominees submitted respectively by the following:

(1) The speaker of the house of representatives;

(2) The president of the senate;

(3) A Native Hawaiian cultural organization;

(4) The East-West Center; and

(5) The Hawaii State Association of Counties.

Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

§   -4 Initiating sister-state relationships. The Hawaii sister-state committee shall evaluate and develop recommendations for the initiation of all sister-state or province relationships and forward its recommendation to the legislature. The legislature, if it so chooses, shall implement the recommendation to initiate a sister-state or province relationship either by adopting a concurrent resolution or by enacting a law to that effect.

§   -5 Maintaining sister-state relationships. The Hawaii sister-state committee shall periodically evaluate established sister-state relationships and forward its recommendations on maintaining sister-state relationships to the governor and to the legislature.

§   -6 Dissolving sister-state relationships. The Hawaii sister-state committee may make a recommendation to terminate a sister-state relationship it deems to be defunct, moribund, or not beneficial, and forward its recommendation to the legislature. The legislature, if it so chooses, shall implement the recommendation to terminate a sister-state relationship either by adopting a concurrent resolution or by enacting a law to that effect."

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.