Requesting The Establishment Of An Arts Data And Mapping Task Force To Conduct A Statewide Survey Of Entities Engaged In Arts And Arts Education And Develop A Comprehensive Statewide Database And Geographic Information System Map Of Arts Entities And Programs.
H.R. 152 is a House Resolution that requests the creation of an Arts Data and Mapping Task Force to gather statewide information on arts and arts education in Hawaii. The task force would be asked to conduct a survey of public and private schools, municipal services, nonprofit organizations, and private businesses involved in arts programming, then compile the results into a comprehensive statewide database and a publicly accessible geographic information system (GIS) map.
The resolution frames the effort as a way to better understand the availability, distribution, and scope of arts opportunities across the islands. It also directs the task force to identify underserved areas and barriers to access, and to make recommendations for ongoing data collection and public dissemination. The task force would be chaired by the President and CEO of the Hawaii Youth Symphony and include representatives from arts, education, data, and state agencies, with an interim report on music and dance due before the 2028 session and a final report, including any proposed legislation, due before the 2030 session.
Because H.R. 152 is a resolution rather than a bill, it does not directly amend Hawaii statutes or create enforceable legal requirements. Its practical effect would be to organize a multi-sector task force and produce statewide arts data infrastructure that could inform future policy, funding, planning, and legislation. The resolution emphasizes that the resulting dataset should be descriptive only and should not evaluate program quality, outcomes, or effectiveness.
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is strongly supportive of arts education and arts access. The measure presents statewide arts mapping as a useful planning tool for educators, nonprofits, lawmakers, grant makers, and community leaders, and it treats the effort as a way to improve transparency and equity. No committee transcripts or votes were provided, so there is no recorded opposition or formal vote history to indicate broader legislative sentiment beyond the resolution’s affirmative framing.
The resolution itself does not identify major controversy, but it does imply a few potential points of concern. One is the scope and burden of collecting data from a wide range of public and private entities statewide, including schools, nonprofits, and businesses. Another is the choice to exclude quality or outcome measurement, which may be seen by some as a limitation on the usefulness of the database, while others may view it as necessary to keep the survey descriptive and non-punitive. The resolution also centralizes leadership in the Hawaii Youth Symphony and a relatively specific set of arts and education stakeholders, which could raise questions about representation, though no explicit opposition is documented in the provided materials.