Bill Text: HI SCR72 | 2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Establishing A Sister-state Relationship Between The State Of Hawaii, United States Of America, And The Autonomous Region Of Madeira, Portugal.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-04-18 - Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Ohno, Woodson excused (2). [SCR72 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2022-SCR72-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
72 |
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THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
ESTABLISHING A SISTER-STATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE OF HAWAII, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF MADEIRA, PORTUGAL.
WHEREAS, Hawaii has developed and
maintained a rich heritage of
international relations and cultural exchange since the days of the Hawaiian
monarchy in the nineteenth century; and
WHEREAS, since 1981, the Legislature has
instituted sister-state relationships as a
means of asserting and promoting the State's active participation in
international matters; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii currently maintains nineteen sister-state
relationships, only one of which is with a European country; and
WHEREAS, the Autonomous Region of Madeira
is an archipelago of volcanic origin in the northern Atlantic, located approximately
six hundred miles southwest of Lisbon, and is one of the two autonomous regions
of Portugal; and
WHEREAS, the archipelago of Madeira consists of two inhabited islands--Madeira
and Porto Santo; the Desertas Islands comprised of three uninhabited islands; and
the Selvagens Islands, an archipelago including three main islands and sixteen uninhabited
islets; and
WHEREAS, in 1976, the Archipelago of Madeira, along with the
Archipelago of the Azores, became autonomous regions under the Constitution of
the Portuguese Republic; and
WHEREAS, tourism is currently the main economic driver and largest source of revenue in Madeira; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii and the people of Madeira
share a long history and strong bond, which began when one hundred eighty
contract laborers from Madeira arrived in Honolulu Harbor on September 30, 1878,
on the S.S. Priscilla; and
WHEREAS, during the three decades that
followed, approximately eight thousand Madeiran immigrants arrived to work on
Hawaii's sugarcane plantations; and
WHEREAS, immigrants from Madeira brought
elements of their home culture to Hawaii, many of which became integral parts
of life in Hawaii, such as the braguinha,
which became the ‘ukulele;
linguiça, which became known as Portuguese sausage;
and their skills as cattlemen, whose traditions shaped Hawaii's paniolo; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to section 229-3, Hawaii
Revised Statutes, the Hawaii Sister-State
Committee is tasked with evaluating and developing recommendations for the
initiation of all sister-state relationships and forwarding its recommendations
to the Legislature; if the Legislature so chooses, it shall implement the
recommendation to initiate a sister-state or province relationship by either
adopting a concurrent resolution or by enacting session law to that effect; and
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is actively
seeking to expand its international ties and has an abiding interest in developing
goodwill, friendship, and economic relations between the people of Hawaii and
the people of many nations; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii Sister-State Committee
has reviewed the Hawaii-Madeira sister-state application and on November 16, 2021,
recommended that a sister-state relationship be established between Hawaii and the
Autonomous Region of Madeira; and
WHEREAS, this body believes that a
sister-state relationship between Hawaii and the Autonomous Region of Madeira
will be highly beneficial in expanding tourism, strengthening cultural and
historical bonds, and advancing common goals of international peace and fellowship;
now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the House of Representatives concurring, that a sister-state relationship between the State of Hawaii, United States of America, and the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal, is hereby established; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of State; Ambassador of Portugal to the United States of America; Governor; President of the Regional Government of Madeira; Honorary Consul of Portugal in Hawaii; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and Chairperson of the Hawaii Sister-State Committee.
Sister-state Relationship; Hawaii; Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal
