As Hawaiʻi lawmakers wrap up the legislative session, few measures related to culture and arts have made it through.
House Bill 1815 would transfer the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, and away from the Department of Accounting and General Services.
It also sets grant standards for the foundation to release $600,000 in performing arts funding that the Legislature approved last year.
Lawmakers also adopted a resolution to create an arts data and mapping task force. While resolutions are not legally binding laws, the arts agency's executive director, Karen Ewald, said it's a conversation starter.
“I definitely came into session understanding that a lot of these bills are, you know, with good intention, and it would be great if they did pass, but they're also really conversation starters, or things to kind of test the waters,” Ewald said.
The majority of the culture and arts bills didn’t make it. House Bill 1860 would've designated the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra as the state orchestra and provided state funding.
Another measure would’ve created a cultural trust, which is an endowment funded by donors.
Bills that are still alive are set for a floor vote tomorrow. If approved, it will be sent to the governor's office.
