STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1375

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   S.B. No. 696

      S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 696, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE FESTIVAL OF PACIFIC ARTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Extend the date on which the Commission on the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts ceases to exist to August 31, 2025; and

 

     (2)  Permit less than a quorum of Commission members to discuss matters outside a Commission meeting to enable them to perform their duties faithfully, provided the Commission holds a properly noticed public meeting at least once a month.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Tourism Authority; Commission on the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture; Ebb & Flow Arts; and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices.

 

     Your Committee finds that Act 104, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, created the temporary Commission on the Thirteenth Festival of Pacific Arts (Commission) to plan the Festival of Pacific Arts originally scheduled to be held in Hawaii in June 2020.  Your Committee further finds that because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Festival of Pacific Arts was postponed to 2024.  As a result, the Commission, which was to cease to exist on June 30, 2021, must be extended to fulfill its duties.

 

     Your Committee further finds that because of a lack of a contractor to carry out the hands-on details of a festival, Commission members have responded by taking on more hands-on tasks.  That has resulted in smaller groups of Commission members needing to communicate outside of publicly noticed meetings to carry out their tasks.  This measure will balance the public interest in access to government decision-making while allowing Commission members to carry out the hands-on tasks of running a festival.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 696, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair