Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Science, Arts, and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 2264 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funding to establish a distance learning program for a masters degree in social work from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committees received testimony in support of the measure from the University of Hawaii, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, Hale Opio Kauai, Inc., Hawaii Youth Services Network, Acting University Center Director Kauai and Assistant Dean of Instruction of Kauai Community College, National Association of Social Workers, and a private individual.

Your Committees find that social work services on the neighbor islands and in rural communities are scarce to non-existent due to a lack of professionals in those communities. By having a distant learning program for social workers in these areas, the service delivery capacity of those communities can be built up and the staff needed to run those programs can be trained.

Your Committees have amended the measure by eliminating a specific appropriation figure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Science, Arts, and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2264, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2264, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.