STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3083

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 128

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 128 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS MAJORS RELEVANT TO INDUSTRY DEMANDS IN HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the University of Hawaii to create a task force to develop a plan to increase the number of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors relevant to industry demands in Hawaii.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System, Hawai‘i P-20 Partnerships for Education, and General Contractors Association of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that studies are clear that STEM occupations are the pathway to economic vitality and innovation, not only in the State but in the entire country.  This measure provides the first steps to the coordination and prioritization of the various statewide STEM initiatives.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 128, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 128, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair