STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2460

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2356

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2356 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to explicitly specify the responsibility of the University of Hawai‘i community colleges to provide short-term and rapid response occupational training and certification programs designed to qualify individuals to fill new and hard-to-fill positions of the State, counties, and private sector that require technical training.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Your Committees find that the modern economy requires colleges to react quickly to meet the changing technical workforce demands of the public and private sectors, both to fill emerging job opportunities and upgrade the skills of existing workers to meet the changing requirements of their positions as technology advances. This measure directs the University of Hawai‘i community colleges to be more responsive to workforce needs in the State by developing and rapidly delivering training for new and hard-to-fill positions that require technical skills.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2356 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Labor,

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair