Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1425, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to establish a demonstration business mentoring program to mentor youth and young adults from ages fourteen through twenty-five in career development and workplace and occupational skills.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's slumping economy results in the creation of few new jobs and the looming retirement of our baby boomer generation workers may create labor shortages that continue to slow economic growth. The availability of a skilled labor force is critical to attracting new industries to Hawaii. Your Committee further finds that business mentoring of youth and young adults will assist them in career development and help them gain necessary workplace and occupational skills, which in turn increases and improves Hawaii's workforce and helps attract new business to our State. Your Committee believes that this measure will benefit not only the youth and young adults who take part in the business mentoring demonstration program, but it will have a positive impact on our State as a whole, by improving our business development climate, our workforce, and our economic growth.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by changing the amount of funds appropriated to an unspecified amount to ensure further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1425, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1425, S.D. 2.