STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2968

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 3360

       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. 3360, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a task force to develop the Hawaii State Science and Technology Plan.

     Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was received from the University of Hawai‘i System, the High Technology Development Corporation, and the Hawaii Science & Technology Council.

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation previously heard and approved a similar measure, S.B. No. 2860, S.D. 1, which was subsequently approved by the Committee on Ways and Means as S.B. No. 2860, S.D. 2.

     Your Committees have amended this measure to delete its content and replace it with the content of S.B. No. 2860, S.D. 2.  As amended, this measure:

     (1)  Establishes the Science and Technology Task Force in the University of Hawai‘i and appropriates the moneys to the University;

     (2)  Requires the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to nominate eight members each for the eighteen-member Task Force, and to include in their nominations senior-level leaders representing traditional and emerging industries, professional services, and cultural and natural resource constituencies;

     (3)  Requires that a preliminary Science and Technology Plan be submitted to the 2009 Legislature; and

     (4)  Amends the findings and purpose section of this measure to reflect these changes.

     Your Committees believe this amended measure will assist the University of Hawai‘i in competing for $15,000,000 over five years in funding from the National Science Foundation's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).  As noted by the University, an essential part of EPSCoR's goal of enhancing the competitive position of a jurisdiction's research and research-based education in science and engineering is a well‑designed statewide science and technology initiative or plan.

     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. 3360, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3360, 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