STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2129

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2620

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2620 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the Regents Candidate Advisory Council for the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii (Council).

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Governor.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Regents Candidate Advisory Council of the University of Hawaii, Association of Emeritus Regents of the University of Hawaii, and three individuals.

     Your Committee finds that since the establishment of the Council pursuant to a constitutional amendment in 2006, the Senate has denied the confirmation of candidates to the Board of Regents on several occasions.  This measure will provide the Governor with the authority to more directly appoint highly qualified members to the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii rather than being obligated to appoint from a limited list of names provided by the Council.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding language to clarify that current members of the Council shall continue to serve their full terms of office and as each term expires, each member will be replaced by a member nominated and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appointed by the Governor pursuant to this measure;

     (2)  Clarifying that this measure shall take effect upon the ratification of a constitutional amendment repealing the constitutional requirement that the Governor make appointments to the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii from pools of candidates presented to the Governor by the Council; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 S.B. No. 2620, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2620, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair