STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2242

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2523

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, Education, and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2523 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to develop regional economic plans to provide jobs in urban and rural areas of each county and require the Department to work with the Department of Education and the University of Hawaii to develop K‑12 pathways for all schools to match the State's industry needs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Education; University of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Pacific Health; and Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the County of Hawai‘i Department of Research and Development.

Your Committees find that establishing regional economic plans that are specific to areas based on the development or community boundaries of all the counties is imperative for the State to provide more jobs in urban and rural areas. Your Committees further find that developing K-12 pathways for all schools that focus on the skills necessary to meet the State's specific industry needs will better prepare the future workforce of Hawaii to enter the workforce.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, Education, and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2523 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 Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, Education, and Higher Education,

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair	________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair
	________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair