§226-103  Economic priority guidelines. (a)  Priority guidelines to stimulate economic growth and encourage businessexpansion and development to provide needed jobs for Hawaii's people andachieve a stable and diversified economy:

(1)  Seek a variety of means to increase theavailability of investment capital for new and expanding enterprises.

(A)  Encourage investments which:

(i)  Reflect long term commitments to the State;

(ii)  Rely on economic linkages within the localeconomy;

(iii)  Diversify the economy;

(iv)  Reinvest in the local economy;

(v)  Are sensitive to community needs andpriorities; and

(vi)  Demonstrate a commitment to providemanagement opportunities to Hawaii residents.

(2)  Encourage the expansion of technological researchto assist industry development and support the development andcommercialization of technological advancements.

(3)  Improve the quality, accessibility, and range ofservices provided by government to business, including data and referenceservices and assistance in complying with governmental regulations.

(4)  Seek to ensure that state business tax and laborlaws and administrative policies are equitable, rational, and predictable.

(5)  Streamline the building and development permitand review process, and eliminate or consolidate other burdensome orduplicative governmental requirements imposed on business, where public health,safety and welfare would not be adversely affected.

(6)  Encourage the formation of cooperatives and otherfavorable marketing or distribution arrangements at the regional or local levelto assist Hawaii's small-scale producers, manufacturers, and distributors.

(7)  Continue to seek legislation to protect Hawaiifrom transportation interruptions between Hawaii and the continental UnitedStates.

(8)  Provide public incentives and encourage privateinitiative to develop and attract industries which promise long-term growthpotentials and which have the following characteristics:

(A)  An industry that can take advantage ofHawaii's unique location and available physical and human resources.

(B)  A clean industry that would have minimaladverse effects on Hawaii's environment.

(C)  An industry that is willing to hire andtrain Hawaii's people to meet the industry's labor needs at all levels ofemployment.

(D)  An industry that would provide reasonableincome and steady employment.

(9)  Support and encourage, through educational andtechnical assistance programs and other means, expanded opportunities foremployee ownership and participation in Hawaii business.

(10)  Enhance the quality of Hawaii's labor force anddevelop and maintain career opportunities for Hawaii's people through thefollowing actions:

(A)  Expand vocational training in diversifiedagriculture, aquaculture, information industry, and other areas where growth isdesired and feasible.

(B)  Encourage more effective career counselingand guidance in high schools and post-secondary institutions to inform studentsof present and future career opportunities.

(C)  Allocate educational resources to careerareas where high employment is expected and where growth of new industries isdesired.

(D)  Promote career opportunities in allindustries for Hawaii's people by encouraging firms doing business in the Stateto hire residents.

(E)  Promote greater public and private sectorcooperation in determining industrial training needs and in developing relevantcurricula and on- the-job training opportunities.

(F)  Provide retraining programs and othersupport services to assist entry of displaced workers into alternativeemployment.

(b)  Priority guidelines to promote theeconomic health and quality of the visitor industry:

(1)  Promote visitor satisfaction by fostering anenvironment which enhances the Aloha Spirit and minimizes inconveniences toHawaii's residents and visitors.

(2)  Encourage the development and maintenance ofwell-designed, adequately serviced hotels and resort destination areas whichare sensitive to neighboring communities and activities and which provide for adequateshoreline setbacks and beach access.

(3)  Support appropriate capital improvements toenhance the quality of existing resort destination areas and provide incentivesto encourage investment in upgrading, repair, and maintenance of visitorfacilities.

(4)  Encourage visitor industry practices andactivities which respect, preserve, and enhance Hawaii's significant natural,scenic, historic, and cultural resources.

(5)  Develop and maintain career opportunities in thevisitor industry for Hawaii's people, with emphasis on managerial positions.

(6)  Support and coordinate tourism promotion abroadto enhance Hawaii's share of existing and potential visitor markets.

(7)  Maintain and encourage a more favorable resortinvestment climate consistent with the objectives of this chapter.

(8)  Support law enforcement activities that provide asafer environment for both visitors and residents alike.

(9)  Coordinate visitor industry activities andpromotions to business visitors through the state network of advanced datacommunication techniques.

(c)  Priority guidelines to promote thecontinued viability of the sugar and pineapple industries:

(1)  Provide adequate agricultural lands to supportthe economic viability of the sugar and pineapple industries.

(2)  Continue efforts to maintain federal support toprovide stable sugar prices high enough to allow profitable operations inHawaii.

(3)  Support research and development, as appropriate,to improve the quality and production of sugar and pineapple crops.

(d)  Priority guidelines to promote the growthand development of diversified agriculture and aquaculture:

(1)  Identify, conserve, and protect agricultural andaquacultural lands of importance and initiate affirmative and comprehensiveprograms to promote economically productive agricultural and aquacultural usesof such lands.

(2)  Assist in providing adequate, reasonably pricedwater for agricultural activities.

(3)  Encourage public and private investment toincrease water supply and to improve transmission, storage, and irrigationfacilities in support of diversified agriculture and aquaculture.

(4)  Assist in the formation and operation ofproduction and marketing associations and cooperatives to reduce production andmarketing costs.

(5)  Encourage and assist with the development of awaterborne and airborne freight and cargo system capable of meeting the needsof Hawaii's agricultural community.

(6)  Seek favorable freight rates for Hawaii'sagricultural products from interisland and overseas transportation operators.

(7)  Encourage the development and expansion ofagricultural and aquacultural activities which offer long-term economic growthpotential and employment opportunities.

(8)  Continue the development of agricultural parksand other programs to assist small independent farmers in securing agriculturallands and loans.

(9)  Require agricultural uses in agriculturalsubdivisions and closely monitor the uses in these subdivisions.

(10)  Support the continuation of land currently in usefor diversified agriculture.

(e)  Priority guidelines for water use anddevelopment:

(1)  Maintain and improve water conservation programsto reduce the overall water consumption rate.

(2)  Encourage the improvement of irrigationtechnology and promote the use of nonpotable water for agricultural andlandscaping purposes.

(3)  Increase the support for research and developmentof economically feasible alternative water sources.

(4)  Explore alternative funding sources andapproaches to support future water development programs and water systemimprovements.

(f)  Priority guidelines for energy use anddevelopment:

(1)  Encourage the development, demonstration, andcommercialization of renewable energy sources.

(2)  Initiate, maintain, and improve energyconservation programs aimed at reducing energy waste and increasing publicawareness of the need to conserve energy.

(3)  Provide incentives to encourage the use of energyconserving technology in residential, industrial, and other buildings.

(4)  Encourage the development and use of energyconserving and cost-efficient transportation systems.

(g)  Priority guidelines to promote thedevelopment of the information industry:

(1)  Establish an information network that will serveas the catalyst for establishing a viable information industry in Hawaii.

(2)  Encourage the development of services such asfinancial data processing, a products and services exchange, foreign languagetranslations, telemarketing, teleconferencing, a twenty-four-hour internationalstock exchange, international banking, and a Pacific Rim management center.

(3)  Encourage the development of small businesses inthe information field such as software development, the development of newinformation systems and peripherals, data conversion and data entry services,and home or cottage services such as computer programming, secretarial, andaccounting services.

(4)  Encourage the development or expansion ofeducational and training opportunities for residents in the information andtelecommunications fields.

(5)  Encourage research activities, including legalresearch in the information and telecommunications fields.

(6)  Support promotional activities to market Hawaii'sinformation industry services. [L 1978, c 100, pt of §2; am L 1984, c 236, §15;am L 1986, c 276, §30; am L Sp 1988, c 1, §6; am L 1989, c 250, §2]