STAND. COM. REP. NO. 520

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1502

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1502 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii to establish faculty positions, student programs, and facilities in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and University of Hawaii, West Oahu for workforce development in the defense sector of the State's economy.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, Hawaii Military Affairs Council, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Kauaʻi Chamber, Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce, Hawaiʻi Restaurant Association, and eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that the defense sector of the State's economy is rapidly growing and offers well-paying jobs for the State's workforce. To meet the growing demand for jobs in this sector, your Committee believes that the State should utilize and invest in the expertise offered at the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the Business Administration Program at the University of Hawaii, West Oahu. This measure provides the University of Hawaii at Manoa and University of Hawaii, West Oahu with the necessary resources to prepare students for a fruitful career in the defense sector.

Your Committee notes that the University of Hawaii, West Oahu is presently searching for viable candidates to fill two faculty positions in its Business Administration Program that have been vacant for eighteen months. Your Committee believes that University of Hawaii, West Oahu should prioritize filling vacant faculty positions over establishing new positions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1502, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1502, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair