STAND. COM. REP. NO. 307

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 313

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 313 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for two full-time equivalent (2.00 FTE) positions for the wayfinding education program at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce, and one individual.

Your Committees find that the University of Hawaii aspires to be the world's foremost indigenous serving university and embraces its responsibilities to the indigenous people of Hawaii and the Hawaiian language and culture. The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of the University of Hawaii at Hilo was explicitly designed to integrate Hawaiian perspectives and modern science for local and global communities. This measure further supports the efforts of the wayfinding education program to ensure active support for participation of Native Hawaiians, as well as general population engagement at the local and global levels, in the study of the Hawaiian language, history, and culture.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 313 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 Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair