STAND. COM. REP. NO. 518

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1622

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Higher Education and Labor and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1622 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for an Aloha Intelligence Institute within the University of Hawaii to develop, support, and advance artificial intelligence initiatives statewide.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committees find that artificial intelligence technologies are revolutionizing industries and societies worldwide. Your Committees further find that establishing an artificial intelligence institute within the University of Hawaii will maximize the potential benefit of artificial intelligence in service of the State and its residents. Your Committees also find that the activities conducted by the proposed artificial intelligence institute could occur at the several campuses and academic and professional programs across the University of Hawaii System. This measure establishes an artificial intelligence institute, named the Aloha Intelligence Institute, within the University of Hawaii to prepare the State and its residents for the artificial intelligence-driven future.

Your Committees note that funding and positions will be distributed across University of Hawaii campuses, including the University of Hawaii, West Oahu campus which has the capacity to house staffing and programming related to the Aloha Intelligence Institute. Your Committees further note that while the institute will initially be established under the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation at the University of Hawaii, as the institute expands, it should be placed under a more appropriate office.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing 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 records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Labor and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1622, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1622, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Labor and Technology,

________________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair