STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2191

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.C.R. No. 120

S.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 Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 120, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM AND UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, TO COLLECT DATA RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE IN HAWAII, EVALUATE THE COLLECTED DATA, AND DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO PROVIDE BETTER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRAINING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, in collaboration with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and University of Hawaii, to collect data relating to the Development of an information technology workforce in Hawaii, evaluate the collected data, and develop a strategy to provide better information technology training.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the information technology industry is crucial to the State of Hawaii's economic growth and diversifying our workforce to better suit the global economy. Moreover, the demand for such employees exceeds the supply as the information technology sector is needed in a wide range of industries. Your Committee recognizes that one of the drivers in building a robust workforce is to first have up to date data to highlight the areas where the State needs to improve programs and education. This measure would help the State to improve the workforce development program to allow for a thriving information technology industry pool of employees.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 120, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Government Operations,

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair