STAND. COM. REP. NO. 653

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 247

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 247 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ASIAN LUNAR NEW YEAR COMMEMORATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this Act is to designate the Asian Lunar New Year as a week of commemoration.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii embraces many different ethnic celebrations.  Chinese New Year has become a part of island tradition.  Designating an official state observance of the Asian Lunar New Year is a recognition of the richly diversified nature of the State's population.  Your Committee notes that the week of commemoration would not be considered a state holiday.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure to make a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 247, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 247, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism and Government Operations,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair