CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 22-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

 

RE:    S.B. No. 3109

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 3109, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MANUFACTURING,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to increase economic development in the State through the promotion of manufacturing by:

 

     (1)  Extending, for one year, the lapse date for the appropriation of funds in Act 215, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, for the continuation of the manufacturing grant program in the High Technology Development Corporation; and

 

     (2)  Appropriating funds for the manufacturing development program for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that, recognizing the potential economic benefits provided by the manufacturing industry, the Legislature appropriated $2,000,000 in the Regular Session of 2015 to establish a manufacturing grant program within the High Technology Development Corporation to assist companies with qualified manufacturing expenses.  However, delays in establishing this program have occurred as the process for the adoption of rules has taken longer than expected.  While the High Technology Development Corporation has prepared rules for this program, distribution of grant monies cannot occur until these rules are adopted.  As the initial appropriation for this program lapses at the end of the current fiscal year, your Committee on Conference finds that extending the lapse date for funds appropriated in 2015 by one year will allow for the implementation of the manufacturing grant program, thereby strengthening Hawaii's manufacturing economy.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by inserting an appropriation amount of $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the manufacturing grant program, including operational expenses.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3109, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3109, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

DEREK S.K. KAWAKAMI, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

BRICKWOOD GALUTERIA, Co-Chair