STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2116

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 3134
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, to which was
referred S.B. No. 3134 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO STUDY THE
     FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED COMMUNITY-
     BASED CENTER IN WAIALUA TOWN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate $50,000 for
fiscal year 2000-2001 to the Department of Business, Economic
Development, and Tourism, to conduct a study on the feasibility
of establishing a technology-focused community-based center in
Waialua town.

     Testimony in favor of this measure was submitted by the
Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the
High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC), Waialua High and
Intermediate School, Friends for Waialua Town, Hui Kalo `O
Waialua, Waialua Farmers Cooperative, Mokuleia Community
Association, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that this measure supports the State's
efforts to encourage rural and economically distressed
communities to plan and develop facilities that foster innovation
and efficient use of resources and technology to expand economic
opportunities for these communities.  Your Committee has heard
from the HTDC that the agency has facilitated development of a
community-based technology center at Laupahoehoe on Hawaii, and
will be assisting in the establishment of the Molokai Community

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2116
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Innovation Center and the Hilo and Kona technology centers this
year.

     Your Committee has also heard that Waialua town is an
excellent candidate for a similar center and that the feasibility
study called for in this measure need not be lengthy or costly.
Your Committee finds the suggestion by the HTDC that the measure
incorporate community input and assistance in establishing the
center to be a prudent use of this appropriation and has amended
the measure to:

     (1)  Authorize the HTDC to establish a task force made up of
          representatives of the Waialua community to study the
          feasibility of establishing a community-based center,
          to define the needs of the community, and to develop
          and implement a plan for the center;

     (2)  Expand the scope of the purpose of this measure to
          include the purchase of computers, telecommunications,
          and network systems that the will be required for
          operation of the center;

     (3)  Make the HTDC the expending agency; and

     (4)  Correct a technical error.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Economic Development that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 3134, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3134,
S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Economic
                                   Development,



                                   ______________________________
                                   LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 
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