STAND. COM. REP. NO. 285-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1800
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred
H.B. No. 1800 entitled:

     "HOUSE BILL MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF
     HAWAII AT HILO,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase the number of
properly trained mental health professionals and special
education teachers in the Department of Education (DOE) by
appropriating funds to establish a master's degree in counseling
psychology program and a special education licensure program at
the University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH).

     The University of Hawaii, DOE, Mental Health Association in
Hawaii County, and one individual supported this bill.  The
Department of Health supported the intent of this bill.

     Your Committee finds that funding teaching programs for
counseling psychology and special education at UHH is an
important step in alleviating the critical shortage of these
professionals in the DOE.  The DOE must have a local pool of
these important employees from which to choose.  The shortage of
mental health professionals and special education teachers is
particularly acute on the Big Island and these programs at the
UHH campus would be strategically located to help recruitment
efforts there.  


 
 
 
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     Your Committee further finds that it is of crucial
importance to ensure that these programs provide graduates who
remain in Hawaii to help the DOE in their critical need areas.  

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Stipulating that tuition waivers may be granted in
          these programs to students who agree to provide service
          to the DOE following graduation;

     (2)  Appropriating funds separately for each of the two
          programs; and

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

     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. 1800, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1800, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DAVID MORIHARA, Chair