STAND. COM. REP. NO. 654

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 776

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 776, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a biotechnology task force within the University of Hawaii to assess barriers faced by businesses engaged in biotechnology research and to make recommendations on expediting permit processing.  Furthermore, this measure appropriates funds for the task force.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from William J. Aila, Jr., Chairperson, Department of Land and Natural Resources; and Sylvia Yuen, Interim Dean and Director of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will support the advancement of the microbiological sciences and promote the application of microbiologically-related information for the improvement of human health, economic well-being, environmental soundness, and national security.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, in order to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 776, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 776, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair