STAND. COM. REP. NO. 329

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1239

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Higher Education and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 1239 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to reestablish the Governor's authority to nominate and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents by repealing the Candidate Advisory Council, which currently identifies suitable candidates to serve on the University's Board of Regents.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the Governor's selection and appointment of Board of Regents members is restricted to only those candidates recommended by the Candidate Advisory Council.

     Your Committee further finds that the pool of qualified candidates would most effectively and promptly occur through the ratification of a constitutional amendment to Article X, Section 6, of the Hawaii State Constitution.  This constitutional amendment would remove provisions related to the Candidate Advisory Council which would subsequently provide the Governor with more flexibility and choice in identifying and appointing the strongest possible Regents for the University of Hawaii.

     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 S.B. No. 1239 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair