STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2784

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2550

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2550, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a five-year pilot project of financial and managerial autonomy at the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

This measure also establishes a special fund to financially support the college.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from a Hawaii County Council Member, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce, the College of Pharmacy Executive Committee, Kaiser Permanente, Hawaii Construction Alliance, and six individuals.  Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Friends of the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that this measure proposes an innovative approach to fund the construction, maintenance, and operation of the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy that may result in cost savings to the State and establish a more efficient means of delivering public sector construction projects.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Adding a declaration that, pursuant to Article X, section 6, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Legislature identifies this measure as a law of statewide concern;

(2)  Clarifying that the annual financial and management reports to the Legislature shall commence with the Regular Session of 2015 and end with the Regular Session of 2019; and

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

     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. 2550, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2550, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair