STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3368

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 156

       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 Transportation and International Affairs and Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 156 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE CREATION OF AN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL AVIATION TRAINING CENTER AT THE HILO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND AN ADVANCED AVIATION DEGREE TRAINING PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Governor to convene an exploratory committee to consider the establishment of an international aviation training center at the Hilo International Airport and an advanced aviation degree training program at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

     Your Committees find that the State's economic development goal of encouraging an innovation-based economy relies on workforce proficiencies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and requires that students have broad opportunities to learn the advanced skills necessary to succeed in a more complex society.  Hilo International Airport is an ideal location for a world class flight training center because it is located in one of the most ideal flight training environments in the country.  The mission of the University of Hawaii at Hilo has evolved and expanded in recent years from a principally undergraduate teaching institution to one with a significant research focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  An aviation program will assist in the diversification of the State's economy and provide an opportunity to gain a reputation as a world class training center servicing the Pacific Rim and beyond.

     Your Committees believe that funding through public-private partnerships with known and established accredited programs such as Embry Riddle's Worldwide Aeronautical University, Federal Aviation Administration grants, and support from the business and private sectors of the local and international community, in conjunction with the State and the University of Hawaii at Hilo, offer the program the best potential for success and implementation.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding the Director of Transportation to the list of entities to receive certified copies of this measure; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 156, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 156, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Education,

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair