CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 111-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2008

RE:    S.B. No. 2668

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2668, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to make clarifying changes to the composition, duties, and activities of the Board of Regents and the Candidate Advisory Council for the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii.

     Specifically, this bill:

     (1)  Requires that candidates for the Board of Regents reside in the geographic areas that they represent;

     (2)  Requires the Governor to notify in writing the Candidate Advisory Council for the Board of Regents of vacancies on the Board in a timely manner;

     (3)  Requires the submission of candidates for the Board of Regents within sixty days following notification from the Governor of a vacancy due to resignation, death, or removal by the Governor;

     (4)  Requires the Council to submit the names of candidates for the Board of Regents to the Governor; and

     (5)  Makes confidential all information required by the Regents Candidate Advisory Council regarding candidates for the Board of Regents.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that the Candidate Advisory Council for the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii was established pursuant to Act 56, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, in response to the people's desire to change the prior nomination process.  The Candidate Advisory Council has been operating pursuant to Act 56, and the Governor has submitted the names of appointees for some of the vacant seats on the Board of Regents to the Senate for confirmation.  After several months of operation, the Candidate Advisory Council has discovered that certain provisions relating to its existence and operations must be modified to improve operations.

     This bill addresses some of the Council's concerns by, among other things, ensuring the Council receives timely written notification from the Governor when a vacancy occurs on the Board of Regents and ensuring the confidentiality of information regarding applicants.  These provisions, in addition to other necessary changes to improve the process, will assist the Candidate Advisory Council in dutifully executing its responsibilities. 

     Upon further review, your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by clarifying that the Regents Candidate Advisory Council shall be deemed to have fulfilled its obligation to submit names to the Governor upon the presentation of names of the minimum number of candidates required to be presented for each seat or seats on the Board of Regents.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2668, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2668, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Co-Chair	____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair
____________________________ MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Co-Chair	____________________________ SHAN S. TSUTSUI, Co-Chair