Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Labor and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2959 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enact a manpower development and training program under the community college system to train skilled workers for various industries in the State.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii and the Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Hawaii Government Employees Association. Comments were submitted by the Attorney General.

Your Committees find that the community colleges were established to provide greater educational opportunities for residents of Hawaii, regardless of previous educational preparation. The University of Hawaii has embraced this mission through the community colleges, which have evolved and developed educational programs and services to meet the needs of a changing economy.

Career and technical education, including apprenticeship education and job upgrade training, has been a major component of the community colleges from their inception in 1964. The community colleges are the only resource in Hawaii that prepares and reeducates Hawaii's changing workforce, by providing short-term training and awarding certificates and associate degrees in more than 120 different specialty areas. In addition, the employment training center, a program of the community colleges, has developed considerable knowledge and expertise in working with hard-to-serve non-traditional students in a focused job preparation setting.

From 2003 to 2005, Hawaii was selected as one of eight states to participate in the National Governors Association Pathways to Advancement Policy Academy project, focusing on the need to change state higher education, workforce development, and welfare policies to help more adults obtain postsecondary credentials.

Your Committees thus find the community colleges to be the lead agency in manpower development and training.

Your Committees have amended this bill by:

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Labor and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2959, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2959, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.