Bill Text: HI HB2449 | 2022 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating To The Hawaii State Archives.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-03-24 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [HB2449 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-HB2449-Amended.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2449

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE ARCHIVES.

 

 

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

 


PART I

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the state archives contains records and primary source documents relating to the rich culture and history of Hawaii and Native Hawaiians.  As the State's largest memory institution, the state archives is open to the public and offers various services, including requests from other government agencies.  While shifts in technology reduced the need for certain positions in the archives division, the mission and services of the state archives have not changed, and the need for staff has grown due to a backlog of transferred and acquired materials and an increase in public contact.

     Therefore, the purpose of this part is to appropriate funds for additional staff positions in the state archives to assist with its mission and increase public access to historical documents and artifacts.

     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 for the establishment of staff positions in the Hawaii state archives as follows:

     (1)  One assistant Hawaiian language specialist position;

     (2)  Two processing and acquisitions archivist positions;

     (3)  One audio-visual archivist position;

     (4)  One objects curator position;

     (5)  One acquisitions position;

     (6)  One registration and public services position;

     (7)  Two assistant digital specialist positions; and

     (8)  One security guard position.

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

PART II

     SECTION 3.  The legislature finds that the original state archives building, known as the Kanaina building, was built in 1905 on the Iolani Palace grounds within the Hawaii capital historic district to house the public archives of Hawaii.  After many years of collecting the most important records and artifacts from the Hawaiian kingdom through statehood, the state archives eventually outgrew the Kanaina building and in 1952, a new building adjacent to the Kanaina building was constructed as the new home of the state archives and named after Kekauluohi.

     The legislature further finds that there exists a need to promote citizen engagement in the documentary and tangible artifact heritage of the government, provide greater education of the history of Hawaii's governments and its people, and assist the people of Hawaii in connecting with their personal history, as well as the history of Hawaii, for the state archives to fulfill its role as the keeper of the public memory.

     There also exists a need to have dedicated exhibition space to highlight the many historic records and artifacts preserved in the public archives that document the vibrant and diverse history of Hawaii, its public institutions, and its people.

     An additional challenge is presented when 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.

     The purpose of this part is to provide funding for the construction of an additional building to address the current and future facilities needs of the state archives.

     SECTION 4.  The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the purpose of financing an additional building for the state archives to expand and create new spaces for collections processing, storage, administrative use, public research, exhibitions, listening, learning, and community engagement.

     SECTION 5.  The sum appropriated for the capital improvement project set forth in section 4 shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this part.

     SECTION 6.  The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this part shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2024, shall lapse as of that date.

PART III

     SECTION 7.  The legislature finds that many of the state departments, offices, and agencies possess records and primary documents related to the culture and history of Hawaii and Native Hawaiians.  Housing all of these precious records and documents in the state archives would ensure that these records and documents are properly archived and handled by trained specialists.

     The purpose of this part is to:

     (1)  Require all departments, offices, and agencies of the State to conduct an inventory of all documents in their possession related to the culture and history of Hawaii and Native Hawaiians and submit a report on the inventory; and

     (2)  Require the state archives to develop a plan to acquire those documents and submit the plan to the legislature.

     SECTION 8.  (a)  Each department of the State shall conduct an inventory of all records and primary source documents in its possession, including all records and primary source documents in the possession of any office or agency under its administrative control or supervision, that relate to the culture and history of Hawaii and Native Hawaiians and submit a report on the inventory to the legislature and to the state archives no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023.

     (b)  The state archives shall review the inventory reports submitted by each department and work with each department to prepare a transfer plan for all records and primary source documents related to the culture and history of Hawaii and Native Hawaiians in its possession, or in the possession of any office or agency under its administrative control or supervision, to the state archives.  The state archives shall submit one consolidated transfer plan consisting of the transfer plans for all departments to the legislature, with any proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2024.

PART IV

     SECTION 9.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2044.

 



 

Report Title:

State Archives; Staff Positions; Capital Improvement Project; Records Inventory; Transfer Plan; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to establish staff positions in the Hawaii state archives.  Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to finance the construction of an additional building for state archives.  Requires all departments, offices, and agencies to conduct an inventory of all documents in their possession related to the culture and history of Hawaii and Native Hawaiians.  Requires the state archives to develop a transfer plan to acquire those documents.  Effective 7/1/2044.  (HD1)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

 

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