STAND. COM. REP. NO.  268

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1065

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1065 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII RESEARCH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to make the Innovation and Commercialization Initiative Program permanent by repealing the sunset provision in Act 39, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System and Hawaii Business Roundtable.

 

     Your Committee finds that Act 39, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, established the Innovation and Commercialization Initiative Program within the University of Hawaii.  This program provides express statutory authority to enable and facilitate the deployment of University of Hawaii educational and instructional resources, managerial and fiscal resources, and personnel to promote the economic health and diversification of workforce opportunities in the State through commercialization of inventions and discoveries generated by or at the University of Hawaii.  Your Committee recognizes that making the Innovation and Commercialization Initiative Program permanent will enable the University of Hawaii to continue to collaborate and complement other research commercialization or venture funding programs by other state agencies, as well as further research commercialization and economic development in the State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     Your Committee notes that the revenues earned by the University of Hawaii through commercialization of discoveries have been relatively slight compared to the cost of operating the Innovation and Commercialization Initiative Program.  Your Committee encourages the University of Hawaii to maximize commercialization of its research and innovation activities to further academic, science, technological, and economic growth.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1065, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1065, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education & Technology,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair