STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3097

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2587

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Economic Development and Taxation and Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2587, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO ESTABLISH CREATIVITY ACADEMIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to support creative educational programs by appropriating funds for:

     (1)  Creativity academies, including equipment, training, instructors;

     (2)  Marketing for the creative or production center incubator; and

     (3)  Development of a turnkey digital media program that can be replicated for use in the University of Hawaii community colleges.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the University of Hawai‘i System; Ulua Media; four students and three instructors and administrators from the Kea‘au Middle College High School, a partner with Hawai‘i Community College; nine students and faculty from Kapiolani Community College, and a member of the Kilauea School PTSA.  The Department of Education submitted comments.

     Your Committees are in strong support of innovation programs that will provide the most benefit to the students of Hawaii.  Your Committees also wish to thank the many participants who have provided the Committees with additional budget and programmatic information, and look forward to the continuing collaborative work of all parties as this measure proceeds through the legislative process.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the specific language detailing the creativity academies from the findings and purpose section, for the purpose of further discussion;

     (2)  Clarifying that the appropriation is for equipment, training, the hiring of instructors, and travel costs for student and instructor participation in competitions outside the State;

     (3)  Changing the expending agency to an unspecified agency, for the purpose of further discussion; and

     (4)  Making nonsubstantive, technical amendments to conform to the preferred drafting style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Taxation and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2587, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2587, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development and Taxation and Education,

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair