STAND. COM. REP. 3372

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.R. No. 57

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Economic Development and Science, Arts, and Technology, to which was referred S.R. No. 57 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII FILM AND TELEVISION DEVELOPMENT BOARD TO FORMULATE AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO PROMOTE AND FOSTER A STRONG AND COMPETITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA INDUSTRY IN HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Hawaii Film and Television Development Board to formulate and implement a comprehensive strategy designed to promote and foster a strong and competitive digital media industry in Hawaii.

Testimony in opposition to the measure was received from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committees find that this measure recognizes the emergence of digital media productions, such as video and computer games, computer-based graphics and animation, and cellular phone related technologies as important catalysts for economic growth and economic diversification. Additionally, digital media related products generate significant amounts of revenue on an annual basis and recently surpassed the total amount of box office receipts earned by major film studios.

As a result of this growing diversification, there is legislation pending before the Legislature which proposes to rename the Film and Television Development Board and expand the membership of this Board to include members of Hawaii's digital media industry, as well as to amend the duties and responsibilities of this Board to include developing a vibrant and self-sustaining digital media industry in Hawaii to complement the ongoing initiatives in film and television productions currently taking place in Hawaii.

In addition, this proposed legislation also establishes a dedicated source of funding for the Board which will enable the Board to support various performing arts related projects in Hawaii, thereby diversifying Hawaii's economy as well as providing much needed work for Hawaii's talented performing arts community.

Your Committees also find that given the enormous economic potential of digital media productions, establishing and nurturing a vibrant and self-sustaining digital media industry in Hawaii can complement Hawaii's ongoing initiatives in film and television productions, thereby providing numerous high-paying jobs for Hawaii's talented and highly skilled workforce.

Your Committees have amended this measure to clarify that the components of the digital media industry include video and computer games, computer-based graphics and animation, and music technologies and applications.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Science, Arts, and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 57, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 57, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development and Science, Arts, and Technology,

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DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

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CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair