Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor and Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 432, H.D. 2, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to continue the Millennium Workforce Development Training Program.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Hawaii Healthcare Association, Hawaii's Technology Trade Association, and Highspeed Communications.

Your Committees find that the purpose of the Millennium Workforce Development Training Program is to improve the skills of new and existing workers for jobs in new and emerging technology industries. These industries must often import their workers because the State's existing workforce lacks the necessary skills.

Your Committees also find that the continuation of a state-funded training program would lessen the need to import workers in such fields as biotechnology, health care, information technology, environmental science and technology, and telecommunications. It would also increase the opportunities for Hawaii's residents to move upward in the job market by improving their skills.

Your Committees have amended the measure by designating the University of Hawaii as the lead and expending agency rather than the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

In designating the University of Hawaii the expending agency, your Committees would like all agencies involved in the Millennium Workforce Development Training Program to work collaboratively with the University to ensure the program's success.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Economic Development and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 432, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 432, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.