HI SB1296

Establishes the Hawaii Economic Development District Planning Organization within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, attached to the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development for administrative purposes.

Creates a 15-member board composed of the OPSD director (chair), the four county mayors or designees, executive directors of county economic development boards or designees, county workforce development board representatives, the University of Hawaii president or designee, and a labor organization representative appointed by the governor.

Designates the organization to develop, manage partnerships for intra-district cooperation, assist with funding applications, implement the U.S. Economic Development Administration-approved comprehensive economic development strategy, and present annual updates to the governor and legislature.

Establishes two full-time temporary economic development planning analyst positions to support the organization, hired outside civil service requirements and paid from general revenues.

Appropriates unspecified general revenue funds for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 to carry out the Act's purposes, with an effective date of July 1, 2050.