STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1832

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1931

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 3

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 S.B. No. 1931, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve Hawaii's ability to meet its current and future workforce needs by:

(1)  Establishing and appropriating funds for an educational workforce working group to make recommendations on workforce and workforce-related education issues;

(2)  Requiring the Department of Education (DOE) to include in its strategic plan the optimal use of technology for workforce needs and student education plans that directly link to economic and workforce needs;

(3)  Requiring the University of Hawaii System (UH) to report on its workforce development activities, including related enrollment and graduation statistics;

(4)  Appropriating funds for two workforce development liaison positions within DOE to coordinate workforce development efforts with the public and private sectors; and

(5)  Transferring the Workforce Development Council from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT).

     UH, DLIR, the Workforce Development Council, the Society for Human Resource Management-Hawaii Chapter, and a concerned individual supported this bill.  DOE supported the intent of this measure.  DBEDT submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Blanking out the $25,000 appropriation for the Educational Workforce Working Group;

     (2)  Removing the provisions transferring the Workforce Development Council from DLIR to DBEDT;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to promote further discussion; and

     (4)  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 S.B. No. 1931, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1931, S.D. 2, H.D. 3.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair