STAND. COM. REP. NO. 499

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 406

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 406, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide plans to develop work-based learning opportunities for K-16 pathways and internship programs in public schools by requiring the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to develop annual regional economic plans for each county based on the development or community boundaries in each county.

Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Children's Action Network, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Hawaii Technology Academy, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and several concerned individuals supported this measure. The Department of Education; University of Hawaii; Executive Office on Early Learning; DBEDT; Workforce Development Council; and HawaiiKidsCAN offered comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Authorizing, rather than requiring, the Workforce Development Council to consult with the Department of Education and the University of Hawaii to develop and provide K-12 pathways and programs in each public school;

(2) Specifying that priority jobs shall be in high-growth positions that provide a living wage for an average family of three persons with one working adult;

(3) Changing the amounts appropriated for administrative costs and school incentive bonuses to unspecified amounts;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion on the measure; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 406, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 406, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Lower & Higher Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair