STAND. COM. REP. NO. 215

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 222

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 222 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TOURISM,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the application of a spaceport license from the Federal Aviation Administration to establish space tourism in Hawaii.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state agency, two private organizations, and two individuals.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by one private organization.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that submitting an application for a spaceport license with the Federal Aviation Administration is a tremendous opportunity for the State to develop and take advantage of a financially prosperous industry.  Your Committees also find that creating a new industry in Hawaii will provide benefits to existing industries, such as tourism, and also provide new jobs and educational opportunities for our communities.  Your Committees further find that the geographic location of Hawaii is in an ideal location for the State and spaceport operators to be successful.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting the appropriation of $500,000 for fiscal year 2009-2010 and leaving the appropriation amount unspecified.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 222, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 222, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Tourism,

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair