STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3240

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1844

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1844, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for temporary adjunct faculty positions at the University of Hawaii Maui College.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly.

Your Committee finds that following the August 2023 Maui wildfires, there is a significant need for construction workers to rebuild Lahaina. To ensure an adequate construction workforce, additional instructors at the University of Hawaii Maui College are needed to assist in the education and training for various construction trades. Therefore, this measure provides additional support to the University of Hawaii Maui College to recruit and retain highly qualified instructors while ensuring continuity of educational opportunities for students.

Your Committee notes that while the faculty adjunct positions are temporary, the length of service for instructors appointed to the positions established in this measure is unclear. Therefore, your Committee respectfully requests that subsequent Committees that may choose to deliberate on this measure further clarify the length of service for the positions established in this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the unspecified number of temporary adjunct faculty positions as limited-term employment, rather than full-time employment;

(2) Inserting language specifying that this measure is a matter of statewide concern; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1844, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1844, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair