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Senate committees advance bill to transfer State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to DBEDT with narrow amendment
Summary
Two Senate committees recommended passing HB450 HD3 to move the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts into the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, adding a housekeeping amendment about narrow exceptions for culturally sensitive international art transactions.
The Senate joint committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and on Economic Development and Tourism on March 13 recommended passing House Bill 450, house draft 3, to transfer the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) into the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), the committees’ chairs announced.
The move would move SFCA under DBEDT’s administrative umbrella. Supporters and staff described the change as administrative; the chair proposed a single housekeeping amendment to clarify a narrow exception for culturally sensitive international transactions. "Notwithstanding any law to the contrary or specific direction by the legislature," the chair said the amendment would allow narrowly tailored actions for international cultural collaborations and gifts of works of art.
State Foundation on Culture and the Arts representatives testified in support and DBEDT staff stood on their written testimony. Testimony in support also came from the Department of Accounting and General Services, the Hawaii Arts Alliance and two individuals, the committee record shows. No committee members asked substantive follow‑up questions during the public testimony period.
During decision making the chair described the amendment as a narrow provision intended to avoid diplomatic or cultural conflicts when works of art are exchanged as part of international collaborations. The chair also noted the measure contains a defective date and will proceed to Ways and Means for further review.
For the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts the chair’s recommendation to pass with amendments was adopted with votes recorded as Chair Lee (aye), Vice Chair (aye), Senator Elefante (aye), Senator Kanuha (aye) and Senator DeCord (aye). For the Committee on Economic Development and Tourism the recommendation to pass with amendments was adopted with votes recorded as Chair (aye), Senator Fukunaga (aye), Senator Kim (aye), Senator Awa (aye) and others present.
With committee passage the bill will move to the next scheduling and fiscal review steps required by the Legislature.
