Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 214, S.D. 3, H.D. 2, entitled:

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to require Leeward Community College to develop pilot programs in Waipahu and Kalihi for the provision of services to the immigrants from the Freely Associated States—the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia, to assist them in being assimilated, educated, trained, and prepared for gainful employment. This measure also provides for the appropriation of funds from the general fund for the establishment of the pilot programs.

Your Committee on Conference finds that a great influx of Micronesian, Marshallese, and Palauan immigrants has occurred over the past few years; however, the community has been unable to provide adequate services to these immigrants in order to assist them in assimilating and becoming gainfully employed members of the community. The problem extends from the very young, who are lacking proper educational and language services, to adults, who are ill-equipped to obtain employment due to a lack of language skills, education, and training.

Your Committee on Conference determines that Leeward Community College, an institution committed to the betterment of diverse ethnic populations, is the ideal institution for developing and administering a program to provide comprehensive services to the Micronesian, Marshallese, and Palauan communities. Furthermore, areas on Oahu which require particular attention include Waipahu, Kalihi, and the Downtown-Lunalilo corridor, where the number of these immigrants is much higher. These areas require pilot programs to provide comprehensive services to the greatest number of Micronesian, Marshallese, and Palauan immigrants for the betterment of the their quality of life, as well as the development of a skilled workforce that need not become dependent upon public assistance.

Unfortunately, your Committee on Conference also determines that current fiscal constraints prohibit the appropriation of State funds for this measure. Therefore, alternate funding sources must be ascertained and utilized by Leeward Community College to develop and implement the pilot program.

Upon further consideration, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 214, S.D. 3, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 214, S.D. 3, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.