Report Title:

Special Advisory Council for Technology Development

Description:

Adds function to special advisory council for technology development to keep government informed of problems and barriers faced by private sector high technology businesses in operating in or entering the State to do business.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

961

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the special advisory council for technology development.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii is one of the most geographically isolated communities on earth, and for many years, our economic opportunities were limited by this isolation. Recent advances in telecommunications, information technology, and the explosive growth of the Internet, however, present significant new opportunities for the State to develop and diversify its economy, opening the global market to Hawaii businesses. Over the past two decades, the State has attempted to diversify away from an all-dominating visitor industry to encourage the development of a high technology industry.

The legislature further finds that Hawaii's opportunities also represent new challenges. Businesses -- particularly the small, start-ups associated with high technology -- no longer need to factor in Hawaii's geographic isolation, but must still consider the cost of doing business in the State. They also face a confusing, often overlapping, group of state agencies that provide support for technology-related business. Providing targeted assistance to these businesses, as well as a clear focus of responsibility within state government for aggressive development and support of high technology resources, will better serve the burgeoning technology industry.

The purpose of this Act is to require the special advisory council for technology development to act as a liaison between government policymakers and high technology businesses in the private sector to keep the former informed of problems and barriers faced by the latter in entering and operating high technology businesses in Hawaii, and to seek ways to eliminate those problems and barriers.

SECTION 2. Section 27-42, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) There is established within the office of the governor, for administrative purposes, an advisory council to be known as the [governor's] special advisory council for technology development, that shall:

(1) [review] Review and make recommendations on matters relating to the marketing and promotion of Hawaii as a location for high technology companies[.]; and

(2) Act as a liaison between government and high technology businesses in the private sector to keep government informed of problems and barriers faced by high technology businesses in entering and operating in Hawaii, and to seek ways to eliminate those problems and barriers.

The council shall be composed of at least eleven but no more than twenty-five members appointed not subject to section 26-34, and shall include representatives of the high technology industry, business leaders, educators, government leaders, and legislators."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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