STAND. COM. REP. NO. 801

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 723

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 723, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to respond to workforce needs in Hawaii.

     Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Specifies that one purpose of the University of Hawaii community colleges is to provide occupational training and certification programs designed to rapidly qualify individuals to fill new and hard-to-fill positions; and

     (2)  Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii for occupational training and certification programs designed to rapidly qualify persons to fill new and hard-to-fill classes of non-professional positions.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System.

     Your Committee finds that it is a core function of the University of Hawaii Community Colleges to provide short-term, rapid response training to meet the continually changing requirements of the State's economy.  Your Committee further finds that codification of this responsibility into statute will provide formal recognition of this very important responsibility.

     As received by your Committee, this measure included an appropriation of $250,000 from the general revenues of the State.  Your Committee respectfully requests that, as this measure continues to move through the Legislature, future Committees consider whether federal funds or other sources of funding can be substituted in place of general funds.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation amount from $250,000 to an unspecified amount to facilitate further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 723, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 723, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair