SB1367

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii's desire for economic growth that benefits all residents depends on building our State's human resources.

Realization of Hawaii's longstanding desire for economic diversification and sustainability turns on applying the State's high skilled resources to the creation and adoption of innovation across the economy.

Legislative Package for 2007 Legislative Session

This Act is part of an initial package of initiatives focusing on innovation introduced for the 2007 regular session. This package is intended to achieve:

(1) A twenty-first century workforce with science, technology, engineering, math, and problem-solving skills sufficient to ensure innovation and sustainability of Hawaii's economy;

(2) Higher education institutions as "drivers" for innovation;

(3) Continued public investment in the State's innovation infrastructure;

(4) Addressing the capital gap for Hawaii's emerging technology and creative industry companies;

(5) Opportunities for incumbent workers to engage in life-long learning and skill-building;

(6) Residents and businesses with international exposure, orientation, and skills to interact with and compete in a global economy;

(7) An innovation environment that encourages the creation of new products and services that command global market share; and

(8) Analytical capability to assess policy performance and progress toward innovation economy objectives.

In particular, this Act expands the role of the office of international affairs to include the facilitation, coordination, and promotion of educational relationships and exchanges with other countries through collaboration with and funding of existing international programs and organizations. It also clarifies the office's position as the central point of accountability in international affairs.

SECTION 2. Globalization refers to the increasing integration of economies and societies around the world, enabled by human innovation and technological progress. It has set in motion the means by which goods, services, ideas, and capital can flow relatively freely across national borders. It has not only enabled new types of activity, but it has also empowered individuals and small businesses to undertake economic activity that previously was reserved for large multinational firms. While it has increased a whole range of opportunities for those with minimum means, ability, and willingness to participate in this new global economy, it has also created major challenges. For young people graduating from high school or college, this has meant that they now have to compete for jobs globally.

The new global economy demands that we establish Hawaii as a community of lifelong learners, where children build a strong foundation in internationalism during the K-12 years, and where flexible, responsive, and continuing education and training are available to meet the challenges of the global economy and are available to all of Hawaii's adults.

There are a number of factors — including our location, multicultural and ethnic population, and an environment conducive to discussion and negotiation — that support Hawaii as a center for international conferences. However, very little or no concerted effort has been made to bring resources, plans, and programs together and in line with any form of a larger vision for Hawaii, within the context of a rapidly globalizing world.

The legislature understands that in order to advance global competitiveness through education, there needs to be coordination between the State, counties, educational institutions, and private agencies on international affairs, as well as a central point of accountability and a leveraging of resources.

Section 201-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, established the office of international affairs to carry out various international responsibilities and duties, but left out education and training as a means to prepare Hawaii for a globalized world. It also did not specify that the office of international affairs would be the coordinator on international matters for the State. And finally, it did not provide funding for the office to carry out its broad mandate. This Act remedies those problems.

SECTION 3. Section 201-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[ ]]§201-17[[ ]] Office of international affairs; established. (a) There is established, within the department of business, economic development, and tourism, an office of international affairs.

(b) The office shall:

(1) Develop policies that promote and strengthen relations with other countries in the areas of international business, economy, culture, education, and the arts;

(2) Develop policies that promote transportation between, and tourism with, other countries;

(3) Develop and promote international telecommunications and high technology exchanges;

(4) Encourage the development of international sister-city programs, pairing Hawaii cities with cities around the globe for artistic, cultural, economic, educational, and faith-based exchanges;

(5) Develop and promote Hawaii as the economic, trade, commerce, transportation, banking, [~~and~~] tourism, regional headquarters, and international conferences hub of the [Pacific;] Asia-Pacific region;

(6) Develop an international affairs and peace education curriculum that includes studies of international affairs and peace initiatives and takes a proactive, strategic approach to the development of policies that promote the prevention of national and international conflict, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict; [~~and~~]

(7) Provide for exchanges of individuals between Hawaii and other nations to develop international and peace-based initiatives[.];

(8) Facilitate an international educational links program by increasing collaboration and coordination of international, educational, business, and community organizations and providing funding for activities that shall include, but not be limited to:

(A) School excursions from Asia to Hawaii schools, targeting middle and high school students from Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and China with special focus on Hawaii's sister-states, utilizing the department and its overseas offices to market school excursions to Hawaii and match these overseas school visits with Hawaii schools;

(B) Study abroad programs, targeting middle and high-school students from Hawaii's schools, utilizing the department's overseas offices and focusing on Hawaii's sister-states, that match Hawaii schools with overseas schools for school-to-school visits and hosting. The office shall fund, and encourage funding sources both public and private to help finance, the studies abroad; and

(C) Teacher exchange programs through which teachers from Hawaii and abroad exchange a period of time of teaching. The office shall fund, and encourage funding sources both public and private to help finance, the teaching abroad;

(9) Facilitate an international leaders program by facilitating the collaboration and coordination of international, educational, business, and community organizations and funding activities that shall include, but not be limited to:

(A) International conferences for high school students involving international organizations such as the east west center and the pacific asian affairs council;

(B) Adopt-a-school programs partnering international companies and organizations schools for cultural and educational enrichment;

(10) Be the State's central point of contact and accountability in international affairs and serve as the State's advocate for a global orientation;

(11) Inventory existing international programs and develop a web-based information portal to make this information available to the public;

(12) Encourage the attraction of international conferences to be held in Hawaii; and

(13) Encourage the development of international programming and content on local radio shows and a dedicated public access channel for international programs and issues.

[(c) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, if any of the responsibilities or duties of the office of international affairs under this section overlap with the responsibilities or duties of another agency or authority under this chapter, the office of international affairs shall have exclusive jurisdiction and authority over those responsibilities and duties.]"

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $531,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the sum of $518,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary fiscal year 2008-2009, for the hiring of an executive director and administrative assistant and for operating and program expenses.

SECTION 5. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1367
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII