THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
    AND TOURISM TO CONVENE A JOINT MEETING OF THE STATE HIGH
    TECHNOLOGY AGENCIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING THE
    FUTURE OF THESE AGENCIES.
 


 1        WHEREAS, the Research Corporation of the University of
 2   Hawaii (RCUH) was created by Act 209, Session Laws of Hawaii
 3   (SLH) 1965, for the purpose of promoting all educational,
 4   scientific, and literary pursuits through training, research,
 5   and study, and assisting in the dissemination of knowledge by
 6   establishing, aiding, and maintaining professorships, or other
 7   staff positions, fellowships, scholarships, publications, and
 8   lectures, in the interest of promoting the general welfare of
 9   the people of the State; and
10   
11        WHEREAS, the High Technology Development Corporation
12   (HTDC) was created by Act 152, SLH 1983, for the purpose of
13   facilitating the growth and development of the commercial high
14   technology industry in Hawaii by developing industrial parks as
15   high technology innovation centers, developing projects within
16   or outside of industrial parks, providing support and services
17   to Hawaii-based high technology companies, collecting and
18   analyzing information on the state of commercial high
19   technology activity in Hawaii, promoting and marketing Hawaii
20   as a site for commercial high technology activity, and
21   providing advice on policy and planning for technology-based
22   economic development; and
23   
24        WHEREAS, the Pacific International Center for High
25   Technology Research (PICHTR), was also created by Act 152, SLH
26   1983, for the purpose of assisting HTDC in its efforts, by
27   promoting educational, scientific, technological, and literary
28   pursuits in the area of high technology, and providing support
29   for the high technology industry in Hawaii; and
30   
31        WHEREAS, the Hawaii Information Network Corporation
32   (Hawaii INC) was created by Act 1, Special SLH 1988, for the
33   purpose of encouraging the development and growth of the

 
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 1   information industry in Hawaii, by enabling private information
 2   service providers to attach to the information network through
 3   access to state information systems; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, the Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation
 6   (HSDC) was created by Act 110, SLH 1990, for the purpose of
 7   encouraging economic development and diversification in Hawaii
 8   through innovation in cooperation with private enterprises,
 9   through programs to stimulate private capital investment in
10   Hawaii and promote economic growth, employment, and economic
11   diversification, through the use of public funds to provide
12   incentives to private investment activity and the co-investment
13   of public funds in private financial organizations, and by
14   using public funds to reduce the risks of private investments,
15   while providing various types of financial assistance; and
16   
17        WHEREAS, the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii (NELHA)
18   was originally created by Act 213, SLH 1979, and reauthorized
19   by Act 224, SLH 1990, for the purpose of facilitating research,
20   development, and commercialization of natural energy resources
21   and ocean-related research, technology, and industry in Hawaii
22   through one retail concession activity and one tour-related
23   activity that will financially support that research,
24   development, and commercialization at a research and technology
25   park in Hawaii; and
26   
27        WHEREAS, the Department of Business, Economic Development,
28   and Tourism (DBED&T) also has a number of divisions and offices
29   devoted to various aspects of high technology, including the
30   Energy, Resources, and Technology Division and the Natural
31   Defense Center of Excellence for Research in Ocean Sciences
32   (CEROS); and
33   
34        WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii also has a variety of
35   offices, schools, and research institutes devoted to high
36   technology, including the Office of Technology Transfer and
37   Economic Development (OTTED); and
38   
39        WHEREAS, the four county economic development boards are
40   also actively involved in developing high technology industry
41   opportunities statewide; and
42   

 
 
 
 
 
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 1        WHEREAS, so many agencies providing similar or overlapping
 2   functions is confusing and may actually hinder the development
 3   of new businesses, as these businesses are unsure where to turn
 4   for information and assistance; and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, setting funding priorities has become
 7   increasingly difficult because of a lack of focus and
 8   duplication of services; now, therefore;
 9   
10        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
11   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
12   Representatives concurring, that the Department of Business,
13   Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to convene a
14   joint meeting of RCUH, HTDC, PICHTR, Hawaii INC, HSDC, NELHA,
15   the University of Hawaii, the four county economic development
16   boards, and those divisions and offices within DBED&T related
17   to high technology, for the purpose of determining the future
18   of the State's high technology agencies; and
19   
20        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the agencies named be prepared
21   to discuss the following:
22   
23        (1)  Original and continuing purpose;
24   
25        (2)  Priorities within the agency;
26   
27        (3)  Current and projected activities in regards to the
28             development of high technology industries in Hawaii;
29   
30        (4)  Income and expenditures for the past five years; and
31   
32        (5)  Any proposed state appropriations for the 1999-2001
33             biennium;
34   
35   and
36   
37        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DBED&T, with the assistance of
38   these named agencies report the findings and recommendations of
39   the meeting or series of meetings that lead to a combination of
40   one or more of the various agencies and prioritization of the
41   services provided, to the Legislature by February 19, 1999; and
42   

 
 
 
 
 
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 1        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 2   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the
 3   Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the
 4   President of the University of Hawaii, the Director of the
 5   Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii, the Director
 6   of the High Technology Development Corporation, the Director of
 7   the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research,
 8   the Director of the Hawaii Information Network Corporation, the
 9   Director of the Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation, the
10   Director of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority,
11   and the directors of the four county economic development
12   boards.
13 
14 
15 
16                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________