STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 485
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.B. No. 1493
H.D. 2
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1493, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS AND CYBERSECURITY DATA CENTER,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement, Office of Homeland Security, Office of Enterprise Technology Services, and Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Tuk Tuk Box and numerous individuals.
Your Committee finds that, under section 206M-2(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation's statutory purpose is to "facilitate the growth and development of the commercial technology industry in Hawaii." It is unclear whether the first responder's training campus aligns with such purpose. Although involved agencies will use cybersecurity technology, the campus does not appear to proactively develop local commercialized innovation research and technology industries. If the use of technology is sufficient to justify Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation's involvement, that would significantly broaden the Corporation's mandate.
The Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan: Charting a Course for the Decade of Action (2021) identifies eight focus areas for this decade, each of which includes specific strategies and examples of actions that can be taken to advance the State's environmental, social, and economic sustainability objectives. None of the thirty-eight strategies identified in the existing Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan (2021) mention any urgent need for a massive two hundred forty-three acre first responders' campus. With limited social, economic, and political resources, the investment necessary for this kind of project is of questionable benefit and would seem to be a low priority in terms of the work the State needs to do to advance sustainability and climate resiliency objectives.
Your Committee also notes that this project still needs to go through the State Land Use Commission process.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the funding source from general funds to general obligation bonds; 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 Higher Education & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1493, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1493, H.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education & Technology,
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____________________________ AMY A. PERRUSO, Chair |
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