STAND. COM. REP. NO. 170

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 935

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 935 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AEROSPACE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Office of Aerospace Development in the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, rather than the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism;

(2) Repeal the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES); and

(3) Transfer the rights, powers, functions, and duties of PISCES to the Office of Aerospace Development.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Hawaii Technology Development Corporation.

Your Committee finds that the Legislature has played a pivotal role in expanding and diversifying the national economy by forging new inroads to scientific discovery, advancing national engineering and manufacturing expertise, pioneering innovations in communications and computer technologies, enhancing surveillance of our home planet, and enabling better understanding of weather systems and climates.

Your Committee further finds that the aerospace industry holds great potential to enable future innovation in science and technology and that Hawaii continues to support national space efforts through a wide range of aerospace-related activities on all major islands. Your Committee also finds that by combining the office of Aerospace Development and PISCES, the State can more efficiently direct its resources in the field of aerospace to further address these needs.

Your Committee believes that it is important that the Office of Aerospace select its own director and that the membership of the Aerospace Advisory Committee reflect a diverse group of individuals with knowledge of the aerospace industry.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Aerospace Advisory Committee to select the Office of Aerospace Director;

(2) Reducing the number of the Advisory Committee members from thirteen to nine; and

(3) Requiring that of the nine members: four represent the aerospace industry, four represent the economic development boards of the counties, and one represent the University of Hawaii System.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 935, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 935, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

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GLENN WAKAI, Chair