HB1338 Summary

• Establishes the China-Hawaii Economic Council within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to further economic relations between China and Hawaii.

• Creates a seven-member China-Hawaii Economic Council Commission appointed by the governor, with members serving without compensation but receiving reimbursement for reasonable expenses.

• Requires the council to conduct an inaugural China-Hawaii economic council general meeting by December 31, 2024, with subsequent annual meetings that may alternate between Hawaii and China and cover trade, tourism, education, investment, finance, communication, and culture.

• Mandates the council submit reports to the legislature within 180 days following each general meeting and annually prior to the 2022, 2023, and 2024 legislative sessions.

• Appropriates general revenues for fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for council operations, with the bill effective July 1, 2019.