STAND. COM. REP. NO.  180-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1855

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1855 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help ensure the fiscal sustainability of the University of Hawaii at West Oahu by prohibiting the sale or gift of land currently being used for the permanent campus of the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, including the surrounding land to which the University holds title, without the prior consent of the Legislature by concurrent resolution.

The University of Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying the purpose of the measure;

     (2)  Including provisions that:

          (A)  Specify details required to be included in the concurrent resolution;

          (B)  Specify that the sale or gift must be abandoned if not approved by the Legislature; and

          (C)  Require the University to hold an informational briefing on the proposed sale or gift prior to the submission of a concurrent resolution for Legislative approval;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2525, to encourage further discussion; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1855, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1855, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair