Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 545 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate $50,000 to support the activities of PACON International, the Pacific Congress on Marine Science and Technology, which requires matching funds.

Your Committee received testimony in favor of this measure from the University of Hawaii School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, PACON International, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and an individual.

Your Committee finds since 1982 PACON has built and expanded its role in the Pacific Basin and has attracted the interest of other Pacific nations in this endeavor. The cost of this is beyond the present capabilities of the organization and it needs the help and support of the State to advance their mission.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments to this measure for clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 545, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 545, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.