STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3591

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 312

       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 Education and Economic Development and Taxation, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 312 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO EXTEND ITS LAND LEASE WITH THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE MANOA INNOVATION CENTER,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the University of Hawai‘i to extend its current land lease agreement with the High Technology Development Corporation, located on 2800 Woodlawn Drive, Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, for a period of time necessary to find and replace or develop and construct a new facility in Manoa to continue the High Technology Development Corporation's current operations at the Manoa Innovation Center.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) and its Board of Directors; H2 Technologies, Inc.; Ikayzo, Inc.; Technical Research Associates, Inc.; and 3D Innovations, LLC.  The University of Hawai‘i System submitted testimony in opposition.

     Your Committees appreciate the concerns raised by the University of Hawai‘i, particularly the need for additional space close to the campus to support the University's extramural research and training enterprise that has grown significantly in recent years.  While the seven years remaining on the lease might be enough time for HTDC to locate and develop a new facility, current economic conditions may not warrant such an undertaking in the near future.  Your Committees urge HTDC, however, to continue to pursue any partnerships with the University as are appropriate, such as the West Oahu Campus, the John A. Burns School of Medicine, or private-sector partners.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by amending the first BE IT RESOLVED clause to change the unspecified period for an extension of the current lease to an extension of five years.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Economic Development and Taxation that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 312, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 312, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair