STAND. COM. REP. NO. 788

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1120

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1120, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATED TO THE ECONOMY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to expand experiential learning initiatives in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and creative media for students and teachers by appropriating funds for various related programs.

 

     This measure also requires various entities to annually submit a joint report to the Legislature and the Governor regarding student participation and outcomes in STEM initiatives and projections of workforce needs for emerging industries.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Richard C. Lim, Interim Director, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.  Written comments were received from Linda K. Johnsrud, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that STEM education plays a vital role in determining the State's ability to respond to emerging and high-growth industries.  Along with providing funding for STEM learning initiatives, this measure requires the reporting of data that will facilitate the alignment of these initiatives with Hawaii's workforce needs in related industries.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Rephrasing the appropriation in section 2 to comport with standard drafting conventions;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the various STEM demonstration stakeholders shall provide outcome measures to the Legislature;

 

     (3)  Clarifying that the first report required of:

 

          (A)  The University of Hawaii and the Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii, Inc., regarding STEM initiatives; and

 

          (B)  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism regarding projections of workforce needs in emerging industries in defense and other high technology industries;

 

          shall be due to the Governor and the Legislature by December, 2011;

 

     (4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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. 1120, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1120, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair