STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3092

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 539

       H.D. 2

       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 Higher Education and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 539, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to assist the University of Hawaii with complying with the federal requirements of Title IX by, among other things:

     (1)  Requiring the University of Hawaii at Manoa Athletics Department to be a separate program identification number in the state budget;

     (2)  Requiring that funds be transferred to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Athletics Department for scholarship expenses;

     (3)  Prohibiting the allocation of general funds to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Athletics Department, except for federal Title IX compliance; and

     (4)  Requiring the University of Hawaii at Manoa men's teams to be fiscally self-sufficient.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System, Soundtable Entertainment Inc., and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that in addition to providing the State with pride in its University, the intercollegiate athletics program of the University of Hawaii provides the State with opportunities to promote the culture and appeal of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that the visibility of the University's athletes and athletic teams throughout the country and the world correspondingly promotes the visibility of Hawaii, which provides a tangible benefit to the State's tourism industry.  Your Committee therefore finds appropriating funds from the tourism special fund for travel expenses and subsidies incurred by the intercollegiate athletics program of the University of Hawaii is a creative way to support University of Hawaii athletics while promoting Hawaii as a premier tourist destination.

     As such, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the contents of S.B. No. 83, S.D. 1, which:

     (1)  Makes an appropriation from the tourism special fund for fiscal year 2016-2017 for travel expenses and subsidies incurred by the intercollegiate athletics program of the University of Hawaii;

     (2)  Requires the Governor to determine whether the funding for the travel expenses and subsidies should continue beyond fiscal year 2016-2017; and

     (3)  Requires the Governor to take appropriate action to implement any determination that such funding should be extended beyond fiscal year 2016-2017.

Your Committee further amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2016.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 539, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 539, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair