STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3118

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2264

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 2264, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation to the High Technology Development Corporation for the provision of technology internship grants and development of programs to support the local talent pipeline for the technology industry.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the High Technology Development Corporation, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau.

     Your Committee finds that the High Technology Development Corporation is a key agency in developing the technology industry in the State.  Your Committee further finds that internships have proven to be an effective way to introduce talent to careers in the technology industry and provide startup companies with resources to help them grow to the next level.  Support of local talent is imperative to achieve the High Technology Development Corporation's goal of creating eighty thousand new technology and innovation jobs earning more than $80,000 per year by 2030.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by reducing the internship grant cap to $1,250 per intern and $2,500 per company per year.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2264, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2264, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology,

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair