Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1011 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds for faculty positions for Ilokano, Filipino, and Philippine studies at the University of Hawaii (UH) at Manoa.

GUMIL Oahu, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of the bill. The UH School of Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Studies and the UH College of Languages, Linguistics, and Literature supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that a sizeable number of students of Filipino ancestry live in the state and attend UH. The State's commitment to provide a quality post-secondary education to students at UH requires that the courses taught reflect the academic requirements set forth by law, the ethnic diversity of the campus, and the interests represented by the students and faculty at UH. Your Committee finds that there is a clear and compelling interest for a Filipino-based language and cultural course selection.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1011, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1011, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.