STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2844

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2480

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2480, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate an unspecified amount of additional funds in fiscal year 2008-2000 for the support and expansion of existing Science-Technology-Engineering-Math related programs, including creative media education programs, and project Environmental and Spatial Technology programs.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association and the Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii.  Testimony in opposition to the measure was received from the Department of Education.  Comments on the measure were received from the University of Hawaii and the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     Your Committee finds that funds for the support and expansion of existing Science-Technology-Engineering-Math related programs and project Environmental and Spatial Technology programs were previously appropriated for fiscal year 2008-2009 during the regular session of 2007.  However, because these educational programs have been so successful, they require additional funding to accommodate the increased participation levels and program expansion.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by incorporating the contents of S.B. No. 2862, S.D. 1, which establishes the science technology and education special fund and redirects appropriations to certain Science-Technology-Engineering-Math related programs through the science technology and education special fund.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2480, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2480, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair