STAND. COM. REP. NO. 653

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 547

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 547, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the University of Hawaii's Board of Regents to approve by majority vote any designee selected to serve or participate for the Chairperson as a voting or nonvoting member of any legislatively established board, commission, working group, or task force.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committee finds that the Chairperson of the University of Hawaii's Board of Regents is often required to serve on various boards, commissions, working groups, and task forces established by the Legislature. Your Committee believes that, should the Chairperson be permitted to and elect to select a designee to serve or participate in place of the Chairperson, the designee should be approved by the Board of Regents. This measure will allow the Board of Regents to ensure that any designee selected by the Chairperson of the Board of Regents is qualified to represent the University of Hawaii by requiring the University of Hawaii's Board of Regents to approve by majority vote any designee selected to serve or participate for the Chairperson as a voting or nonvoting member of any legislatively established board, commission, working group, or task force.

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. 547, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair