STAND. COM. REP. NO. 582

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1195

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1195 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ECONOMY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to amend the Hawaii State Planning Act to include references to science and technology initiatives to help Hawaii achieve various economic objectives.

     This measure also amends the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's reporting requirement to the Legislature on the growth of emerging growth industries in Hawaii.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Hawaii Science & Technology Council.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism Office of Planning.  Comments on this measure were submitted by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find 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.  Your Committees also find that requiring the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to revise the criteria they use in measuring the growth of emerging growth industries in Hawaii will provide the Legislature with a more complete perspective of the economic opportunities available to Hawaii.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1195, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1195, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair