STAND. COM. REP. NO. 438

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1504

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 1504 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A MODERN HAWAII HISTORY MUSEUM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish a Museum of Modern Hawaii History;

 

     (2)  Establish a task force to prepare the plans, specifications, and designs for the construction of the Museum of Modern Hawaii History; and

 

     (3)  Appropriate funds.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Judiciary, and Bishop Museum.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum generally covers pre-contact and early Hawaiian history, while Iolani Palace covers the Hawaiian monarchy and overthrow period.  However, the State has much to celebrate and share since the early twentieth century.  As the State made significant national and international impacts that were not preserved and exhibited, including the history of World War II, statehood, and groundbreaking political moments, this measure establishes a Museum of Modern Hawaii History to share Hawaii's recent achievements with the rest of the world.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Amending legislative findings;

 

     (2)  Clarifying the purpose of the Museum of Modern Hawaii History;

 

     (3)  Deleting language that would have established a Modern Hawaii History Special Fund;

 

     (4)  Amending the Museum of Modern Hawaii Task Force's scope and responsibilities;

 

     (5)  Amending the composition of the Museum of Modern Hawaii Task Force to include:

 

          (A)  Any representative of the University of Hawaii, rather than a representative of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents;

 

          (B)  The Chief Justice, or their designee, to represent the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center; and

 

          (C)  Other stakeholders recommended by the chairperson;

 

     (6)  Deleting the Museum of Modern Hawaii Task Force dissolution date;

 

     (7)  Deleting an appropriation of $250,000 into and out of the Modern Hawaii Special Fund;

 

     (8)  Inserting an unspecified appropriation amount of general funds for the administration of the task force;

 

     (9)  Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

 

    (10)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1504, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1504, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair