STAND. COM. REP. NO.  983

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1630

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1630, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to prepare students for the information technology age by providing a comprehensive project-based and student-centered learning program in which students are responsible for their own learning.  Specifically, this bill appropriates funds to be deposited into the Hawaii 3Ts School Technology Laboratories Fund to maintain the Project EAST Program (Program) in existing schools, and expand the Program to schools statewide.

     The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, High Technology Development Corporation, the Office of Economic Development of the County of Kauai, a member of the Maui County Council, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii, Kauai Economic Development Board, Inc., Hoike Technology, Trex Hawaii, LLC, Advanced Materials, Maui Economic Development Board, Inc., General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount to encourage further discussion;

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1630, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1630, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair