STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1539

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 95

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 95 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, IN CONSULTATION WITH ITS FACILITIES OFFICES, THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES, AND INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES, TO DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED PLAN TO PROVIDE CERTIFICATES, DEGREES, AND ASSOCIATED PATHWAYS IN THE AREAS OF FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the University of Hawaii, in consultation with its facilities offices, the Department of Accounting and General Services, and industry representatives, to develop an integrated plan to provide certificates, degrees, and associated pathways in the areas of facilities maintenance and construction management.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committee finds that the State currently has a deferred maintenance backlog valued at approximately $4,000,000,000 and faces a shortage of qualified candidates for numerous vacant building facility manager and maintenance worker positions. This shortage may be the result of a lack of a formal training pipeline for building facilities maintenance and construction management positions. Increasing the number of qualified individuals in the area of facilities maintenance and construction management through academic pathways and professional development can help address the high vacancy rates across public and private industries and ensure employee retention in these critical jobs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 95 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair