STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2513

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3191

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 S.B. No. 3191 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to permanently authorize the University of Hawaii to continue to regulate conflicts of interest and other ethical issues for technology transfer activities sponsored by the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System.

Your Committee finds that students, faculty, and alumni of the University of Hawaii generate numerous inventions and discoveries in various fields. Act 38, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, established an exemption for technology transfer activities sponsored by the University of Hawaii from certain requirements of the State Ethics Code, which is currently scheduled to repeal on June 30, 2024. To codify existing requirements, the University of Hawaii has adopted a regent's policy, executive policy, and administrative procedures to assure compliance. Therefore, this measure makes the technology transfer requirements permanent to ensure continuity of existing practices while establishing the University of Hawaii as a driver of economic health and workforce development in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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 S.B. No. 3191, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3191, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair