STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2329

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2528

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 2528 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to transfer the Hawaii 3Ts school technology laboratories fund from the Department of Education to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Kaua‘i Economic Development Board, Inc.; Maui Economic Development Board, Inc.; and four individuals.

     Your Committees find that the Hawaii 3Ts school technology laboratories fund will be more appropriately placed within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, rather than the Department of Education.  Your Committees further find that the Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii, Inc. (EDAH) has successfully funded a number of projects that support the State's commitment to providing broadband and technological resources to give Hawaii a competitive advantage in the twenty-first century. 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the requirement that EDAH obtain approval from the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for all proposals for which EDAH intends to provide funding;

     (2)  Clarifying that all proposals approved by the Hawaii 3Ts School Technology Laboratories board and for which EDAH intends to provide funding and contracts awarded by EDAH shall be made under as much competition as practical to execute the purposes of the proposals and contracts;

     (3)  Amending the definition of "school technology laboratory" so that it refers to a multi-platform and multi-disciplinary laboratory, rather than a multi-station computer laboratory, that offers students a variety of different types of hardware and software applications; and

     (4)  Requiring EDAH, as part of its annual report to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, to include a summary of the accomplishments and student outcomes of the Hawaii 3Ts school technology laboratories fund.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Economic Development and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2528, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2528, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair