STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1113

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 774

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 774, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SMALL BUSINESS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for the Small Business Regulatory Review Board to hire additional staff.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Small Business Regulatory Review Board; State Procurement Office; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Hawaii Business League; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Small Business Regulatory Review Board (SBRRB) is comprised of representatives from small businesses statewide that volunteer to meet on a monthly basis to review existing, modified, and new administrative rules that affect small businesses.  The purpose of this review is to ensure these rules are designed and implemented in the most cost-efficient and straightforward manner possible for small businesses.  To date, SBRRB has reviewed over six hundred thirty rules and regulations since its inception in 1998.

 

     Your Committee additionally finds that there is one staff member from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism that is currently assigned to assist the SBRRB.  Further, despite the extraordinary mandate of SBRRB, including the requirement that there be at least one volunteer representative from each county, there is no budget reserved for operations and projected goals, such as community outreach.  As your Committee noted, even a modest sum appropriated in this measure would provide these volunteers with a dedicated staff member, adequate office supplies, and miscellaneous materials necessary to fulfill their mandate.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 774, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Technology,

 

 

 

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair