STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2944

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 277

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education and Housing, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 277, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

Hawaii Teacher Standards Board

G.M. No. 277

VOLETTA NOE NOE TOM, for a term to expire 6-30-2013,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by the nominee, and finds Voletta Noe Noe Tom to have the necessary qualifications to be appointed to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.

     Testimony in support of the nominee was submitted by three state agencies, four private organizations, and three individuals.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Ms. Tom received her Bachelor's degree in Education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and studied toward a Master's degree in Criminal Justice Administration at Chaminade University.

     Ms. Tom's work experience reflects a dedication to the regulation and licensing of various professions to help ensure the correct, consistent, and effective performance of work.  She has served for approximately twenty years with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) as an Investigation and Liaison Officer and Licensing Administrator and also as Deputy Director and Director for a portion of her years of service with DCCA.  Among her noteworthy accomplishments with DCCA are the implementation of numerous online services for licensees, businesses, and consumers; reduced license fees since 1992; fair and effective handling of licensing disputes; and amendments to Hawaii Administrative Rules that consolidated sections relating to licensing fees.

     Ms. Tom was recognized as DCCA's Employee of the Year in 1992 and Manager of the Year in 2000 and is the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor's Slice Waste and Tape Award in 2000.  She has also received recognition by the State Auditor for increased efficiency and professionalism of her division of DCCA.

     Testifiers remark on Ms. Tom's extensive insight and knowledge of licensing and regulation, her contributions to increased efficiency of DCCA, her strong work ethic, and her experience as a top-level administrator.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Tom has applied her experience and knowledge in her work thus far as an interim appointment to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.  She has a solid understanding of board functions, assessing the duties of a board, providing board members with the tools necessary to perform their jobs well, and ensuring that board members make informed decisions.  Your Committee is confident that Ms. Tom will continue to translate her success in regulating and licensing professionals to her work on improving the Board's operational efficiency and licensing renewal process for teachers.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education and Housing,

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair