Bill Text: HI SB2731 | 2022 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Relating To The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-03-31 - The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. [SB2731 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-SB2731-Amended.html

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THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2731
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO THE BERNICE PAUAHI BISHOP MUSEUM.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, officially designated as the State of Hawaii Museum of Natural and Cultural History, is a distinguished scientific, cultural, and educational institution for the State of Hawaii, whose mission is to perpetuate Hawaii's natural and cultural heritage.  No other agency is tasked with the responsibility of preserving and protecting Hawaii's invaluable collections of primary source materials and more than one hundred years of research across the Pacific region.  The legislature recognizes that the research and primary source material stewarded at the museum is a global resource that is unique, essential, and necessary to address the challenges the State faces today, including massive biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and cultural resilience in the face of climate change.  The latter challenge is especially apparent, as sea level rise is currently impacting Hawaii's coastal infrastructure and resources.

     The legislature further finds that to fulfill its mandate, Bishop Museum is in need of additional funds.  Its operating budget is currently approximately $16,000,000.  Forty-four per cent of the budget supports the museum's core functions, while fifty-six per cent supports education, public programs, communications, community relations, groundskeeping, general management, and other programs.  Moneys for the museum's operating budget are raised annually through federal, state, and local grants; contracted services; admissions and earned income; memberships; contributions; and endowments.

     The legislature recognizes that Bishop Museum's core operations are the basis for significant grants and are used to leverage unrestricted funding.  Every unrestricted dollar the museum receives is used to bring in additional restricted funding, including funding from federal agencies.  However, the legislature also recognizes that federal grants may be competitive and restrictive.

     The legislature finds that increasing the State's subsidy to the Bishop Museum, which currently accounts for approximately four per cent of the museum's budget, would help to reliably support the museum's core operations, including core staffing, mandatory cooling and environmental security for core collections, and core internet technology operations.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to support the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 to support the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, officially designated as the State of Hawaii Museum of Natural and Cultural History; provided that any funds appropriated pursuant to this section shall be in addition to and shall not supplant any portion of the base budget of the department of accounting and general services for the museum; provided further that the amount appropriated pursuant to this section shall be included in the base budget for the department of accounting and general services for the museum in future fiscal bienniums.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2044.

 

Report Title:

Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates moneys to support the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.  Effective 7/1/2044.  (HD1)

 

 

 

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