Report Title:

Culture; Arts; Honolulu Symphony; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to support the Honolulu Symphony and its programs.  (SD1)

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

3243

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE HONOLULU SYMPHONY AND ITS PROGRAMS.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the Honolulu Symphony, founded in 1900, is one of the 12 oldest symphony orchestras in the United States and the oldest American symphony orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains.  The Honolulu Symphony has established a rich and illustrious legacy as one of Hawaii's great cultural, educational, and entertainment resources, and it is a cornerstone of performing arts in Hawaii.  As Hawaii's only professional full-time orchestra, the Honolulu Symphony plays an essential role in the cultural vitality of our state with its youth music education program and community engagement mission for the enrichment of thousands of students, residents, and visitors each year.

     The legislature further finds that the Honolulu Symphony brings music into the lives of over 20,000 youth and their families through education and community outreach programs, which promote a love of music and music-making in our island communities.  With a national and local focus on education, the legislature finds it essential that support be provided to the Honolulu Symphony to enhance its ability to continue offering affordable youth music education concerts, free in-school ensemble performances, free residencies and resource teachers, free music education curriculum, free student composition reading for college-level student composers, free master classes for vocal students, and free community engagement concerts for the general public.

     The legislature, through the provisions of Act 97, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, and Act 156, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, provided public support for the Honolulu Symphony by appropriating $4,000,000 to the State of Hawaii endowment fund, from which the income and capital gains earned from that public investment are to be used by the symphony, provided that the funds are matched by private funds or pledges. 

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate to the Honolulu Symphony the funds as may be necessary to meet the symphony's attendant fiscal obligations, pending the resolution of any problems that preclude the state foundation on culture and the arts from fulfilling its obligations as expressed by the provisions of Act 97, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, and Act 156, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007.  It is further the intent of the legislature that these funds shall be used to assist the symphony in meeting its payroll obligations to the symphony's musicians and to provide fiscal support to the symphony for its administration and programs, including marketing, communications, and youth education.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to meet the shortfall in funding for the operations of the Honolulu Symphony and its programs.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.