STAND. COM. REP. NO. 966

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1177

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1177, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A GLOBAL YOUTH CENTER IN HAWAII,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to provide funds for the establishment of a Global Youth Center in Hawaii.

 

     Specifically, this measure will allow the Global Youth Center to provide youth from around the world the opportunity to learn about and address major global issues.  The Global Youth Center will be administered through the East-West Center, and will ensure that Hawaii students, particularly public school students, are provided with opportunities to participate in programs and activities to increase awareness of global issues and to address these issues through a variety of activities including meetings and forums.

 

     Comments in support of this measure were submitted by the East-West Center and Redford-McCandless International.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism submitted comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that education and awareness are the paths to world peace, sustainability, and productivity for future generations.  The youth of the world must develop awareness of the important issues facing our global community and be equipped with the analytical tools to craft solutions.  In response to the Millennium Youth People's Congress, held in Hawaii in 1999, the Legislature adopted House Concurrent Resolution No. 151, H.D. 1 (2005), which recognized the need for a Global Youth Center to provide a forum for youth to be educated on and address major global issues and further recognized the role that Hawaii should play in establishing such a center.

 

     Your Committee finds that the creation of a Global Youth Center in Hawaii presents a unique opportunity for developing an international framework for youth from around the world to become actively engaged in shaping a better future for the international community.  Hawaii's central location between Asia and the Americas, its cultural diversity, and shared languages provide an excellent forum for the Center's youth to addresses the needs and concerns of a multitude of diverse political, religious, economic, and socioeconomic views.  Your Committee believes that the Global Youth Center will also provide Hawaii students, particularly public school students, opportunities to become more involved in international dialogue and interaction.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount to facilitate further discussion on this measure; and

 

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1177, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1177, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair