STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2481

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2333

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2333 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a task force to research the possibility of creating an Institute of Robotics in the University of Hawai‘i, College of Engineering.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Education, the University of Hawai‘i System, the Hawaii Space Grant Consortium, and four individuals, including three teachers.

     Your Committee finds strong support for the concept of robotics as a powerful vehicle for K-12 students to explore and develop exemplary skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  For nearly a decade, the College of Engineering has been involved in multiple aspects of robotics education and outreach and has witnessed its tremendous impact on students, teachers, and the community.  The many successful robotics competitions and the dramatic increase in interest and participation are strong testaments to this achievement.

     Your Committee further finds that the College of Engineering is actively involved in outreach with K-12 students and teachers as a result of the Innovation in Education Initiatives, including Fostering Innovation and Relevance through Science and Technology, Pre-Academy; the Robotics and the Research Experiences for Teachers, Middle School Program, and the College will further expand its role in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) outreach.

     Given these activities, your Committee finds that it would be more appropriate to establish an informal working group to consider the feasibility of establishing an Institute of Robotics within the College of Engineering.

     Your Committee has amended this measure accordingly, by:

     (1)  Establishing a working group in the College of Engineering to consider the feasibility of establishing an Institute of Robotics;

     (2)  Clarifying that the working group may include, but is not limited to representatives from the Legislature; the Department of Education; the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; the county economic development boards; Hawaii's science and technology industry; the business community; and any others that may be deemed appropriate;

     (3)  Requiring the working group to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

     (4)  Changing the effective date to upon approval.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2333, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2333, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Education.

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

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair