HB610.DOC

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the lucrative jobs of today are, more and more, found within the diverse fields of science and high technology. Economies that ground themselves in science and high technology have found success, armed with a workforce that is well-educated, benefiting from work products that provide for a better lifestyle, and able to compete on a national if not international scale.

It is important that first steps be taken by stimulating the interest and achievement of Hawaii's students in this arena, and during the 2007 legislative session, various related programs were established and expanded. However, Hawaii lacks an overall, statewide plan to progress in science and high technology beyond the schools.

Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to establish a task force to develop the Hawaii state science and technology plan.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established the Hawaii state science and technology task force within the high technology development corporation. The high technology development corporation and, if necessary, the department of business, economic development, and tourism shall provide administrative, professional, technical, and clerical staff support for the task force. The task force shall:

(1) Evaluate the effectiveness of past and current science and high technology legislation, including legislation relating to industry development, incentives, oversight, and sustainability;

(2) Develop the Hawaii state science and technology plan for the direction of science and high technology in Hawaii, which shall include:

(A) A list of goals established for the science and high technology sector in the State;

(B) A plan to reach the established goals; and

(3) Assist the legislature in maintaining an overall framework to guide the development of science and high technology in the state by creating guidelines for future science and high technology legislation; and

(4) Submit recommendations or proposals for science and high technology legislation to meet the goals established in the plan.

(b) The members of the task force shall consist of sixteen members as follows:

(1) One member selected by Hawaii's most senior United States Senator;

(2) The director of business, economic development, and tourism, or the director's designee;

(3) The superintendent of education, or the superintendent's designee;

(4) One member selected by the chairperson of the board of directors of the high technology development corporation;

(5) Three members from the University of Hawaii system, appointed by the president of the University of Hawaii; provided that at least one member shall represent a neighbor island community college;

(6) One member selected by the president of the Hawaii island economic development board;

(7) One member selected by the president of the Maui economic development board;

(8) One member selected by the president of the Kauai economic development board;

(9) One member selected by the president of Enterprise Honolulu;

(10) Three senior-level business leaders from Hawaii's emerging science and technology sectors, one each to be appointed by the governor, president of the senate, and speaker of the house of representatives;

(11) The president of the senate, or the president's designee, to serve as an ex officio non-voting member; and

(12) The speaker of the house of representatives, or the speaker's designee, to serve as an ex officio non-voting member.

(c) The members of the task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(d) The task force shall select a chairperson by a majority vote of its members. A majority of the task force shall constitute quorum to do business. The concurrence of a majority of all the members to which the task force is entitled shall be necessary to make any action of the task force valid.

(e) The task force shall be exempt from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes; provided that the task force shall make a good faith effort to make its proceedings and work products accessible and available to the general public in a manner consistent with the intent of chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(f) The task force shall submit a report, including the Hawaii state science and technology plan developed pursuant to this section, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2011. The task force shall also submit to the legislature every five years thereafter, an updated report that reassesses the plan.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 to support the operations of the Hawaii state science and technology task force.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the high technology development corporation for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	610
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII