STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2158

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2862

       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. 2862 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish the science, technology, and education special fund; and

     (2)  Amend Act 111, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, to direct the appropriation made in Act 111 to and out of the science, technology, and education special fund to establish the fostering inspiration and relevance through science and technology pre‑academy program in the University of Hawaii College of Engineering.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, the University's Hawaii Center for Advanced Communications, and one individual.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism submitted comments.

     Your Committees find that this measure would help to ensure the success of Hawaii's students in the global economy by providing continued support for innovative educational programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

     Your Committees are strongly supportive of continued funding for these critical educational programs, and support the creation of the special fund as a means to ensure the focus of any related expenditures in the future.

     Your Committees have made a technical amendment to correct a reference to the revisor of statutes.

     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. 2862, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2862, 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