STAND. COM. REP. NO.  947

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   S.B. No. 1144

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1144, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support economic development and diversification in the State by clarifying the application of the State Ethics Code to technology transfer activities of the University of Hawaii.

The University of Hawaii, Hawaii Business Roundtable, and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported the measure.  The Hawaii State Ethics Commission testified in opposition.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by, among other things:

     (1)  Limiting the exemption from the State Ethics Code to only faculty and professional and technical staff of the University of Hawaii while they are engaged in technology transfer activities;

     (2)  Specifying that the regulatory framework and research compliance program and policies approved by the University of Hawaii Board of Regents must also be used by the United States federal government and providing examples of what those policies must address;

     (3)  Amending the definition of "technology transfer activities" to mean the process of transferring scientific findings from the public sector to the private sector for the purpose of commercial development and application for personal or financial gain;

     (4)  Requiring the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to submit a written report to the Legislature every two years regarding the technology transfer activities of the University of Hawaii and their status;

     (5)  Changing its effective date to upon its approval, and repealing it on June 30, 2025; and

     (6)  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 S.B. No. 1144, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1144, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair