Get more information about participating in the legislative process on the Public Access Room website: LRB.hawaii.gov/par.
Current Legislation relating to the SFCA
- HB472 HD1 Works of Art Special Fund; State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; Capital Improvement Projects; Appropriation ($) RELATING TO THE STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS. Appropriates funds out of the works of art special fund to the state foundation on culture and the arts for the integration of works of art projects into several state capital improvement projects. Effective 6/30/3000.
- HB473 HD1 State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; Creative Workforce Grant Program; Appropriation ($) RELATING TO THE STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS. Appropriates funds for the state foundation on culture and the arts creative workforce grant program for the awarding of grants to eligible nonprofit arts and culture organizations to support the living wage of creative workers. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1) (H) 2/7/2023- Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).
- HB478 HD1 State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; Artist Fellowship Program; Appropriation ($) RELATING TO THE STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS. Appropriates funds for the state foundation on culture and the arts artist fellowship program for the awarding of one-time fellowships to promising artists. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1) (H) 2/7/2023- Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).
- HB475 HD1 RELATING TO THE STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS Appropriates funds to the state foundation on culture and the arts for the art in private places program and to establish one position for the foundation. Effective 6/30/3000. House Finance Hearing 2/22/2023 2:30 p.m.
- SB1120 SD1 Relating to the Works of Art Special Fund. Requires the State Art Museum to provide opportunities for the counties and private organizations located in Hawaii to display art through loan arrangements with the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts under the Arts in Public Places Program
- SB119 SD1 Relating To The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Establishes the Performing Arts Pilot Program Committee to establish the Performing Arts Pilot Program to select, review, and fund grant proposals for performing arts events.
- SB1119 Relating to the Works of Art Special Fund. Specifies that 0.5 per cent, rather than one per cent, of state fund appropriations for capital improvements shall be transferred into the Works of Art Special Fund.
Updates in February
(most recent update: 2/17/2023)
On Tuesday February 14, The Senate Committee on Transportation, Culture and the Arts and the Senate Committee on Government Operations heard S.B. 119 relating to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The bill would allow the Works of Art Special Fund to be used for performing arts, under certain conditions; provides that forty percent of the Works of Art Special Fund be used for performing arts and defines performing arts.
The SFCA and over 75 testifiers including performing artists, organizations and the Department of Budget and Finance, opposed the bill which reduced funding for visual arts and many testifiers requested the legislature not to cut the visual arts but to fund the performing arts. There were three testimonies submitted supporting funding performing arts and the Attorney General and the Hawaii Arts Alliance who submitted comments. The bill passed out of the committee as a general fund appropriation and a pilot project to fund performing arts. Click SB119 for a link to the bill, hearing video on YouTube and SFCA and Public testimony.
On Tuesday February 14, The Senate Committee on Transportation, Culture and the Arts heard a slate of bills relating to the SFCA.
S.B. 1119 relating to the Works of Art Special Fund was the focus of attention. The bill proposed to reduce Works of Art funding from construction by 50% and eliminate funding from renovations which account for an estimated 58% of revenues resulting in a devastating 75% reduction of funding. Citing the “overwhelming testimony in opposition” by over 90 arts supporting testifiers, committee Chair Chris Lee moved to DEFER the measure. Click SB1119 for a link to the bill, hearing video on YouTube and SFCA and public testimony.
Where to get updates
Updates on 2023 legislation regarding the SFCA are posted on the SFCA Instagram page (instagram.com/hawaii_sfca) and SFCA Facebook page (facebook.com/hawaiisfca).
For more frequent updates on these bills and information on Hawaiʻi arts legislation to watch (including the establishment of a modern Hawaiian history museum, establishment of a creative district, and the upcoming Festival of Pacific Arts), please visit the Hawaiʻi Arts Alliance (HAA) advocacy page: HawaiiArtsAlliance.org/advocacy. The HAA is a statewide private nonprofit that champions all arts and is an Arts First Partner and member of the State Arts Advocacy Network. HAA is the State Captain for the national arts advocacy organization Americans for the Arts.
The Hawaiʻi State Legislature website (Capitol.Hawaii.gov) provides ways to engage online, including submitting testimony, tracking measures, hearing notifications, live and on-demand videos of committee hearing and floor sessions, and current and past legislative reports. The State of Hawaiʻi Public Access Room (PAR) provides the public with information, facilities, and services to assist them as they engage and participate in the State legislative process: learn more on the PAR website at LRB.Hawaii.gov/par.