STAND. COM. REP. NO. 59-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1231

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1231 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii (UH) to work in collaboration with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to fund one or more programs sponsored or organized by the UH community colleges or a four-year campus to expand opportunities for international college experiences for students enrolled at a UH campus. This measure also requires UH to submit a report to the Legislature, which includes details of the use of funds appropriated and the UH campuses participating in the funded programs.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii System and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committee finds that there have been initiatives within the University of Hawaii System to provide students with the opportunity to visit the Asia-Pacific region and gain educational and cultural experiences. With a local population largely made of descendants of plantation workers and immigrants from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region, Hawaii's residents should take advantage of these cultural and historic ties for the potential economic benefit of the State. This measure allows students to become more familiar with these nations and this region in an educational and cultural setting.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1231, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1231, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Tourism & International Affairs.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair