STAND. COM. REP. NO.  84

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1157

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Economic Development & Business and Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1157 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify which State Ethics Code sections do not apply to technology transfer activities sponsored by the University of Hawaii provided that the activities comply with the regulatory framework and research compliance program and policies approved by the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii.

The University of Hawaii, High Technology Development Corporation, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, Hawaii Business Roundtable Incorporated, and The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii supported this bill.  The Hawaii State Ethics Commission and a concerned individual opposed this bill.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Placing the exemption from specified provisions of the Code of Ethics for University of Hawaii technology transfer activities into the chapter of Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) that relates to the University of Hawaii, rather than the Code of Ethics chapter of the HRS;

     (2)  Amending the effective date to July 1, 2038, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for consistency, clarity, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development & Business and Labor & Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1157, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1157, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development & Business and Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair

____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair