STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2363

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2853

       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 S.B. No. 2853 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to amend Act 213, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, to amend section 70 to appropriate additional moneys in fiscal year 2008-2009 for the Hawaii Academy of Science, to assist the organization in the administration and operations of all its current and future interscholastic academic programs, including outreach and training programs.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Education, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that this program, which encourages middle and high school students to explore science and engineering, provides well-deserved recognition of achievements by Hawaii youth in the areas of science and technology.  As Hawaii looks at ways to diversify the economy, it is critical to encourage workforce development in the science and technology sector.  Support of a program that encourages students to develop an interest in science goes hand-in-hand with these goals.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Department of Education will contract the Hawaii Academy of Science to administer and operate the State of Hawaii Science and Engineering Fair, the Pacific Symposium, and the Hawaii Technology Education Association Fair; and

     (2)  Amending the purpose section to reflect this change.

     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 S.B. No. 2853, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2853, 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