CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 160-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2010

RE:    H.C.R. No. 297

       S.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.C.R. No. 297, S.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING REPORTS ON THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF EXPANDED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY AND STEM INITIATIVES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final adoption of this concurrent resolution in an amended form.

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request:

(1)  A status report on the economic impact of expanded workforce development outcomes; and

(2)  An update on the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Research Experiences for Teachers – Middle School, Project Environmental and Spatial Technology (Project EAST), and robotics programs within public schools.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that the STEM initiatives launched in 2007 have been highly successful, providing expanded learning opportunities for thousands of public school students throughout the state, and involving untold numbers of private sector supporters and mentors.

     For example, participation in robotics has expanded dramatically in three years, from 95 programs in early 2007, to 422 programs today attracting 3,000 students in public, charter, and private schools statewide.  Project EAST, which began in a handful of neighbor island public schools, has expanded to 15 schools statewide and served over 4,400 students from middle school through grade 12.  Even more impressive, nearly 100 percent of Project EAST participants plan to attend college, and over 60 percent plan STEM-related majors.

     Your Committee on Conference commends the agencies – both public and private – that have been instrumental in the success of these programs and believes that the reporting requested by this measure will provide the agencies and the individuals involved with an opportunity to further highlight their successes and their plans for the continued expansion of these programs.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this resolution for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 297, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 297, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair	____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair
	____________________________ ISAAC W. CHOY, Co-Chair