Report Title:

Office of International Affairs; Establishment

Description:

Establishes the Office of International Affairs to coordinate and promote peace through improved economic, social, cultural, and scientific relations with other countries. (SD2)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1784

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 2


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the office of international affairs.

 

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

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to establish an office of international affairs to coordinate and promote economic, social, cultural, and scientific relations with other countries.

SECTION 2. Chapter 201, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§201-   Office of international affairs; established. (a) There is established, within the department of business, economic development, and tourism, an office of international affairs. The office shall be responsible for issues relating to peace, including the study of conditions conducive to domestic and international peace.

(b) The office shall be headed by an executive director who shall be appointed by the director of business, economic development, and tourism, without regard to chapter 76. The executive director may employ other personnel necessary to carry out the duties of the office under this section.

(c) The office shall:

(1) Develop policies that promote and strengthen relations with other countries in the areas of international business, economy, culture, and the arts;

(2) Develop policies that promote transportation between, and tourism with, other countries;

(3) Develop and promote international telecommunications and high technology exchanges;

(4) Encourage the development of international sister-city programs, pairing Hawaii cities with cities around the globe for artistic, cultural, economic, educational, and faith-based exchanges;

(5) Develop and promote Hawaii as the economic, trade, commerce, transportation, banking, and tourism hub of the Pacific;

(6) Develop an international affairs and peace education curriculum that includes studies of international affairs and peace initiatives and takes a proactive, strategic approach in the development of policies that promote the prevention of national and international conflict, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict; and

(7) Provide for exchanges of individuals between Hawaii and other nations to develop international and peace-based initiatives."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.