Bill Text: HI SR140 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Requesting The Department Of Accounting And General Services To Establish A Task Force To Conduct A Study Concerning The Current And Future Needs Of The State Archives.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-04-03 - Report and Resolution Adopted, as amended (SD 1). [SR140 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2019-SR140-Amended.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	140
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES TO ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE TO CONDUCT A STUDY CONCERNING THE CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS OF THE STATE ARCHIVES.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the original State Archives Building, known as the Kana‘ina Building, was built in 1905 on the ‘Iolani Palace grounds, within the Hawai‘i Capital Historic District, to house the Public Archives of Hawai‘i; and

 

     WHEREAS, after many years of collecting and acquiring into the Public Archives the most important records and artifacts of the governments of Hawai‘i from the Hawaiian Kingdom through Statehood, the State Archives eventually outgrew the Kana‘ina Building; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1952, a new building adjacent to the Kana‘ina Building was constructed as the new home of the State Archives and named after Kekāuluohi; and

 

     WHEREAS, there exists a need to promote citizen engagement in the documentary heritage of the government, provide greater education on the history of Hawai‘i's governments and its people, and assist the people of Hawai‘i in connecting with their personal history as well as the history of Hawai‘i; and

 

     WHEREAS, there exists a need to have a dedicated display space to highlight the many historic records and artifacts preserved in the Public Archives that document the vibrant and diverse history of Hawai‘i, its public institutions, and its people; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawai‘i Capital Historic District has been the center of Hawai‘i's government for over a century, now consists of twenty buildings and structures, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1978; and

 

     WHEREAS, the buildings and structures within the Hawai‘i Capital Historic District have distinct architectural styles, ranging from the nineteenth century adaptations of New England homes to the Italianate Renaissance Revival and Neoclassic edifices of the Hawaiian Monarchy; and

 

     WHEREAS, the current State Archives Building does not fit architecturally with the other buildings of the Hawai‘i Capital Historic District; and

 

     WHEREAS, the current State Archives Building not only appears outdated, but is also outdated in function with electrical and elevator problems requiring expensive repair along with a lack of stable backup power, which puts the secure storage of the records at risk; and

 

     WHEREAS, the historical records of Hawai‘i held at the State Public Library, which is near the current State Archives Building, should be stored in the same location and with the same archival standards as the historical records held at the State Archives; and

 

     WHEREAS, aging, underrepresented, and marginalized segments of the community seek to donate important historical documents and artifacts to the State Archives, but a lack of storage space in the current State Archives Building requires the State Archivist to be very selective in accepting donations; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, that the Department of Accounting and General Services is requested to establish a task force to conduct a study concerning the current and future needs of the State Archives; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force members be selected as follows:

 

     (1)  Three members to be selected by the President of the Senate; provided that at least one member is a member of the Senate;

 

     (2)  Three members to be selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; provided that at least one member is a member of the House of Representatives;

 

     (3)  Three members to be selected by the Governor; and

 

     (4)  Four members to be selected by the Comptroller; provided that at least two members be Archives Division employees; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to select a chairperson from among its members; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a vacancy on the task force shall be filled by the same selection authority that appointed the vacating member; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that seven members of the task force shall constitute a quorum; provided that an affirmative vote of five members shall be necessary for decision-making; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force meeting schedule shall be determined by the members; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the task force shall not be considered state employees for the purposes of chapter 84, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, due solely to their service on the task force; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to include in its study an analysis of the:

 

     (1)  Requirements of the State Archives to continue to acquire the documentary and artifactual history of Hawai‘i and its people for the next fifty years;

 

     (2)  Expected suitability of the current Archives facilities over the next fifty years;

 

     (3)  Space requirements to create a museum quality display space for the Public Archives to educate the public and visitors on the documentary and artifactual history of Hawai‘i, its public institutions, and its people through exhibitions, educational seminars, and interpretive displays;

 

     (4)  Suitability of renovating Kekāuluohi to conform to the architectural style of the Hawai‘i Capital Historic District while updating its infrastructure to conform to archival standards and meet the Archives' needs for the next fifty years; using existing State facilities to house or extend the operations of the State Archives, or both; or constructing a new, suitable facility to house the Public Archives and State Archives' operations, or both;

 

     (5)  Capability of current and projected new facilities to digitize the records of the Public Archives and provide the necessary infrastructure to support the Digital Archives;

 

     (6)  Feasibility of combining the historical documents or archival records currently located at the State Library into the records of the State Archives; and

 

     (7)  Utility of a Hawai‘i Capital Historic District Visitor Center in conjunction with any display space for the Archives' holdings; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Comptroller, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, State Archivist, and State Librarian.

Report Title: 

Task Force; State Archives; Department of Accounting and General Services; Study