HI HB594

Establishes a Maritime Industry Grant Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to award grants to qualified shipyards and maritime industry training providers for workforce development and training projects.

Defines "qualified shipyard" as a ship or boat building or repair facility in Hawaii with no more than 1,000 employees engaged in building, construction, manufacture, repair, conversion, or alteration of ships, boats, or prefabricated barge sections.

Requires grant recipients to have been in operation for at least ten years, hold applicable licenses and permits, comply with all federal and state laws, and allow department and legislative access to records for monitoring and auditing purposes.

Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to submit biennial reports to the legislature beginning in 2018 detailing grant applications received, grants awarded, economic benefits realized, and total funding amounts.

Appropriates unspecified sums for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 to establish and administer the maritime industry grant program.