STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2289

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3253

       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 Education and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 3253 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to address workforce development issues within the State through various initiatives, programs, and appropriations, as recommended by the Educational Workforce Working Group, established pursuant to Act 283, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Creates unique identifiers for students grades kindergarten to twelve as they move into the workforce and appropriates funds to conduct a study to develop interfacing with existing databases;

     (2)  Establishes a Community-Business Education Exchange coordinator to nurture stronger partnerships between the community and the schools;

     (3)  Expands the Running Start Program to include internships to be created by the Community-Business Education Exchange and the Department of Education;

     (4)  Establishes penalties for truant students and their parents or guardians;

     (5)  Extends the Educational Workforce Working Group established pursuant to Act 283, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, for two additional years and provides funding therefor;

     (6)  Requires the University of Hawaii to implement incentives and performance based budgeting; and

     (7)  Appropriates funds for working adult scholarships.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Education, the University of Hawai‘i System, the Workforce Development Council, HiTech Quest, the Honolulu Community Action Program, and one individual.  Comments on the measure were also submitted by the Judiciary.

     Your Committees find that current workforce needs in the State are not being adequately met, and the State must develop innovative and alternative means for providing an adequate, qualified workforce to meet Hawaii's needs.  Your Committees further find that, in response to this issue, pursuant to Act 283, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, the Legislature established the Educational Workforce Working Group, to address workforce needs and methods for increasing the workforce supply in the State.  The Educational Workforce Working Group made several recommendations, and this measure implements those recommendations.

     This measure extends the duration of the Educational Workforce Working Group and requires additional reporting requirements so that the Legislature may focus its efforts in the future to address workforce needs.  This measure also supports the development of database interfacing of information on students as they progress through school and move into the workforce, the establishment of community partnerships with the schools, and the provision of assistance to working adults seeking to begin second careers in critical workforce shortage areas.

     Your Committees continue to support the Working Group and its recommendations and believe the provisions of this measure will help to grow and support the workforce needs of the State.  However, your Committees also recognize that some of the provisions contained in this measure have been separately entertained by these or other committees, or may otherwise not be appropriate for inclusion in this measure.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the provisions that:

          (A)  Expand the Running Start Program to include internships to be created by the Community-Business Education Exchange and the Department of Education;

          (B)  Establish penalties for truant students and their parents or guardians; and

          (C)  Require the University of Hawaii to implement incentives and performance based budgeting; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3253, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3253, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair