STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1107

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1529

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1529, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish scholarship programs in honor of Senator Hiram L. Fong and Senator Oren E. Long for University of Hawaii students and appropriate funds therefor.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Education, the University of Hawaii, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that Senator Hiram L. Fong was a champion of civil rights, labor rights, and immigration reform.  He was a respected legislator whose achievements are great in number and who espoused timeless philosophies.  Your Committee further finds that Senator Oren E. Long was also a distinguished leader who devoted over forty years of his life to public service and worked successfully in collaboration with Senator Fong on many initiatives, including the establishment of the East-West Center. 

     Based upon recommendations from the Hiram L. Fong Commission, established under Act 117, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, this measure establishes the Senator Hiram L. Fong Scholarship Program and the Senator Oren E. Long Scholarship Program at the University of Hawaii.  Your Committee believes that the establishment of these scholarship programs are fitting tributes to these great leaders.  Your Committee further determines that appropriations for each program should be in the amount of $10,000, which will allow a scholarship to be awarded to each recipient in the amount of $5,000 for each program.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the matter.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1529, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1529, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair