STAND. COM. REP. NO. 992

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1326

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1326, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to, among other things:

     (1)  Repeal the current statutory provisions relating to benchmark reporting in favor of higher education planning;

     (2)  Require the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to recommend amendments to priority guidelines for quality education, periodically review its strategic goals and outcomes toward meeting state needs related to higher education, and develop a functional plan to enable the University to become a foremost educational research, and service center of learning in the nation and Asia‑Pacific region; and

     (3)  Require the University of Hawaii to monitor and report biennially on its progress toward achieving performance outcomes in a manner that is transparent and clearly linked to state higher education needs as defined in section 226-107, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

     Your Committee finds that this measure requires the University of Hawai‘i System to develop a functional plan under chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Hawaii State Planning Act.  Your Committee recognizes the concerns of the University of Hawai‘i System that it is unclear how requiring the development of a functional plan under the Hawaii State Planning Act will result in greater transparency and accountability for the University in meeting the State's higher education needs.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and replacing them with the contents of S.B. No. 244, which requires the University of Hawai‘i System to:

     (1)  Periodically review strategic goals and outcomes adopted by the Board of Regents;

     (2)  Periodically review state needs related to higher education outcomes and indicators; and

     (3)  Monitor and report biennially on its progress to achieving performance outcomes in a manner that is transparent and linked to state higher education needs.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1326, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1326, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair