STAND. COM. REP. NO. 333-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2206

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 2206 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support athletics at the University of Hawaii by appropriating:

(1) $14,500,000 for the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa; and

(2) $500,000 for the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Athletics Department and University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Athletics Department. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that University of Hawaii athletics attracts out-of-state teams to play before Hawaii residents and competes on the mainland and internationally as an ambassador of aloha and a representative of all of the people of Hawaii. Your Committee further finds that this measure would help offset higher costs that are unique to the University of Hawai‘i as the cost of travel far exceeds its peer-competitors. Moreover, your Committee finds that this funding would provide significant assistance in upgrading facilities and programs for the health and well-being of University of Hawai‘i student-athletes.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts; and

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee respectfully requests that should your Committee on Finance choose to hear this measure, it consider appropriating:

(1) $14,500,000 for athletics at the University of Hawaii at Manoa; and

(2) $500,000 for athletics at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Your Committee notes that the appropriation to the University of Hawaii at Manoa would provide for expansion of the Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex to meet National Collegiate Athletic Association requirements as well as funding for travel, student-athlete meals, and other health-and-wellness initiatives for student-athletes.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2206, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2206, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair