STAND. COM. REP. NO.924

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 678

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns, to which was referred S.B. No. 678, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Encourage the use and development of technology by government and the private sector;

(2) Appropriate funds to the New Economy Transition Program (NET);

(3) Require conversion to electronic copy of all legislative documents and state agency reports received by the Legislature and electronic bill payment by the administration;

(4) Prohibit allocation of funds by the Governor for new research or technology parks until infrastructure on all existing research and technology parks subject to legislative appropriations is completed;

(5) Authorize issuance of general obligation bonds to extend the community-based economic development loan and grant program to information technology to distressed rural areas; and

(6) Establish a high technology task force to establish goals and an implementation plan to develop high technology in Hawaii.

The Hawaii Bankers Association testified in support of this bill. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT), the Office of the Governor, the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Department of Budget and Finance, Hawaii Technology Trade Association, Department of Accounting and General Services, and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported the intent of this bill.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Deleting Part III thereby authorizing allocation of funds by the Governor for new research or technology parks prior to the completion of all infrastructure on existing research and technology parks;

(2) Adding the Office of Planning, the Special Advisor for Technology Development, and the Director of DBEDT to the task force;

(3) Extending the full operation completion date of the electronic bill payment system to January 1, 2003; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, style and consistency.

Your Committee finds that a technology-wise local business community and a resident workforce with education and training in technological skills are crucial to the future growth of our economy. This bill supports those goals by increasing access and participation in technology programs

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 678, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 678, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Water and Land Use.

 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns,

____________________________

LEI AHU ISA, Chair