Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns, to which was referred H.B. No. 1866 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow the University of Hawaii (UH) and the Department of Education (DOE) permanent autonomous authority for matters relating to the purchase of goods, services, payments, and accounting by repealing the June 30, 2006, sunset date established in Act 321, Session Laws of Hawaii 1986.

UH, DOE, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and Hawaii Business Roundtable testified in support of this bill. The Department of Accounting and General Services opposed this measure.

Allowing UH and DOE permanent autonomous authority in securing goods and services would provide greater flexibility in advancing the educational mission of the state. However, your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Finance to review the possibility of extending, rather than repealing, the sunset date as a means of reaching this goal.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1866 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.