STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2031-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.C.R. No. 35

S.D. 1

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 S.C.R. No. 35, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII - WEST OAHU TO RE-ESTABLISH ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO TO PROVIDE A PRE-NURSING PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the University of Hawaii - West Oahu to re-establish its partnership with the University of Hawaii at Hilo to provide a nursing program similar to the Ike Mauli Ola program and a pathway for students attending the University of Hawaii – West Oahu who are interested in pursuing a nursing career.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System and Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing.

Your Committee finds that in Fall 2015, the University of Hawaii – West Oahu partnered with the University of Hawaii at Hilo to launch the Ike Mauli Ola program, an innovative new pathway for students interested in pursuing a nursing career; however, the program was canceled in 2017. Your Committee further finds that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the State's significant nursing shortage and had the University of Hawaii – West Oahu maintained its partnership with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, more nurses would likely have been available to care for patients during the onset of the pandemic. This measure seeks to provide additional avenues for interested students at the University of Hawaii – West Oahu to pursue a career in nursing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the University of Hawaii – West Oahu to partner with the University of Hawaii at Hilo or University of Hawaii at Manoa to provide a nursing program similar to the Ike Mauli Ola program;

(2) Changing its title to reflect its amended purpose;

(3) Adding the Provost of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Chancellor of the University of Hawaii - West Oahu, and Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo as recipients of certified copies of the measure; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 35, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 35, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair