Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3002 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support the public-private partnership for Project east (which stands for environmental and spatial technology).

Specifically, this measure funds the continuation and expansion of the project east initiative on all islands.

Your Committee finds that given the advanced state of technology that exists today, Hawaii needs to develop a highly skilled and trained workforce to work with this technology in the high technology companies and jobs that Hawaii has sought to attract to the State. Towards this end, the project east initiative aims to prepare students for the information technology age by providing a comprehensive project-based and student-centered learning program. Project east has already demonstrated tremendous potential as a workforce development initiative that has introduced Hawaii's youth on Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai to a wide range of technology-related skills. Your Committee believes that the project should be continued and expanded statewide.

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. 3002 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.