STAND. COM. REP. NO. 929

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 610

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 610, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to allow the State to further develop the high technology sector of the economy by establishing a Hawaii State Science and Technology Task Force within the High Technology Development Corporation.

     This measure also appropriates an unspecified amount of funds to be expended by the High Technology Development Corporation to support the operations of the Hawaii State Science and Technology Task Force.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Education.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Science and Technology Council.  Comments on this measure were submitted by EPSCoR Hawaii and the High Technology Development Corporation.  Written testimony presented to your Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that it is vital to amend the Hawaii State Planning Act to include references to science and technology initiatives to help Hawaii achieve various economic objectives.  Your Committee also finds that it is essential to plan for science and technology initiatives that will play an instrumental role in developing Hawaii's economy to enable the State to capitalize on the financial opportunities that emerging industries involving science and technology often present.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with the contents of S.B. No. 1195, S.D. 1, which:

     (1)  Amends the Hawaii State Planning Act to, among other things:

          (A)  Encourage economic activities capitalizing on defense, dual-use, and science and technology assets, particularly on the neighbor islands;

          (B)  Stimulate emerging industries in science and technology;

          (C)  Strengthen economic productivity in agriculture and enhance the development of new agricultural products and by-products;

          (D)  Use Hawaii's strengths in science and technology to improve the quality of existing visitor destination areas;

          (E)  Build upon dual-use and defense applications to develop thriving ocean engineering, aerospace research and development, and related dual-use technology sectors in Hawaii's economy;

          (F)  Expand and diversify renewable energy development, creative media, and science and technology-based sectors; and

          (G)  Position Hawaii as a leader in broadband communications and applications in the Pacific Region; and

     (2)  Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to annually update and report on the criteria used to measure growth in emerging growth industries.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 610, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 610, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Technology,

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair