STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1458

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 155

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 155, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish and appropriate funds for a Network Improvement Community Task Force to develop a pilot K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teacher education program, to be coordinated through the University of Hawaii Maui College campus;

(2) Appropriate funds for a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics entrepreneur-resident at the University of Hawaii Maui College; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the University of Hawaii Maui College's Office of International and Regional Partnerships' study abroad programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that the work of the proposed task force described in part I of this measure overlaps with the charge of the Teacher Education Coordinating Committee established under section 304A-1202, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and should be deleted.

Your Committee also finds that extending study abroad opportunities available through the University of Hawaii Maui College's Office of International and Regional Partnerships will help students gain foreign language skills and cross-cultural competence and promotes economic and educational relationships between the County of Maui and the world.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting part I, which established and appropriated funds for a network improvement community task force and appropriated funds for a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics entrepreneur-resident at the University of Hawaii Maui College;

(2) Clarifying that the purpose of the appropriation to the University of Hawaii is to subsidize travel expenses and tuition for students to study abroad;

(3) Requiring reports to the Legislature on the opportunities afforded by the expenditure of funds for students to study abroad;

(4) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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 S.B. No. 155, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 155, S.D. 1, 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,

____________________________

AMY A. PERRUSO, Chair