STAND. COM. REP. NO. 174

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1256

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1256 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL SPACE CENTER FOR EXPLORATION SYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to support operations of and the purchase of equipment required to support the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES).

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; University of Hawaii System; Hawaii Aerospace Advisory Committee; Aerospace States Association; Oahu Economic Development Board; East Hawaii Community Development Corporation; Shackleton Energy Company; Ontario Drive and Gear; and eight individuals.

     Your Committee finds that PISCES was established to leverage Hawaii's substantial assets and capabilities in the space industry to advance the national space program and provide unique opportunities to expand and diversify technology-based enterprise and education statewide.  The goal for PISCES is to develop a world-class center of excellence in Hawaii that can facilitate the design, testing, and validation of new technologies to support robotic and human missions to space, and in so doing serve as an economic driver for the Island of Hawaii that will promote the establishment and growth of new sustainable and green industries along with associated jobs, workforce development, internships, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1256 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair