SB767

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a need in the State for long-term science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce development programs to foster a sustainable and economically diverse base for advanced-technology-sector companies, particularly on the neighbor islands. Supporting such industries in the State will stimulate economic growth and ensure that Hawaii's youth are able to remain in Hawaii to pursue long-term, stable career paths in these high-need areas.

The legislature further finds that the university of Hawaii is uniquely situated to create viable STEM career pathways through its network of campuses and engagements with the K-12 educational system. The demand for more formal educational, research, and career opportunities in space sciences and engineering fields continues to grow, especially with renewed federal and international interest in expanded space exploration. However, less than fifteen per cent of engineering schools nationwide have focused or dedicated aerospace or related programs directly supporting these career paths.

The legislature also finds that increased space mission and monitoring activities in Hawaii as well as the existing ground-based observatory facilities on Maunakea and Haleakala are appropriate platforms for instrumentation and detector technology development, facility innovation, and operational upgrade and advancement investigations and could thus expand employment opportunities for Hawaii's local high-tech workforce. In addition, a new facility dedicated to engineering education and the development and fabrication of astronomical instruments is in the design phase via funds previously provided by the legislature. This new building on the university of Hawaii at Hilo campus adjacent to the institute for astronomy building would increase the instructional and educational offerings to Hawaii's students by providing student internships, undergraduate research opportunities, and exposure to engineering careers in astronomy and other fields.

In addition, the legislature finds that the university of Hawaii's new space sciences and engineering initiative (SSEI) is recruiting an initial cohort of dedicated engineering faculty within the college of engineering through recent appropriations from the legislature. These new faculty will be located at the university of Hawaii's Manoa campus and the institute for astronomy's facility on the university of Hawaii at Hilo campus. This engineering cohort will focus on teaching, research, and engineering applied to astronomy, aerospace, and advanced technologies, offering for the first time an engineering degree pathway for university of Hawaii at Hilo students. A cornerstone of the program is integrating this team with high‑tech development and instrumentation at the observatories on Maunakea and Haleakala, which combined have facilities worth over $1,000,000,000 and regularly sustain research, education, and technology development advancements.

Furthermore, the legislature recognizes that these globally significant investments in Hawaii, which together generate more than $200,000,000 in annual economic impact statewide, can serve as the basis for a workforce development program that substantially deepens the long-term benefits of these investments for local students, businesses, and communities. The most cost-effective approach to creating such a workforce development program is to expand upon programs that have demonstrated success; integrate them into a continuum of support from kindergarten to careers; and link students to a multitude of educational hands-on learning opportunities and, ultimately, employers. The building blocks for such a program are substantially in place, but additional resources are needed to integrate and expand them, providing a robust, globally unique, end-to-end STEM workforce development program.

The legislature additionally finds that premier examples of programs that serve as vital tracks at the high school and undergraduate levels for the proposed next-generation workforce development program include the Maunakea scholars program and the new Maunakea observatories internship program. The Maunakea scholars program is made possible through a partnership between the department of education, university of Hawaii, and Maunakea Observatories. The program started as a pilot program in 2016 involving students at both Kapolei and Waiakea high schools, and over 1,200 students have since participated in the program in schools on Oahu, Lanai, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii island. This program, the first and only one of its kind in the world, pairs high school students with mentors, predominantly graduate students at the university of Hawaii institute for astronomy, to help the students design and execute their own research projects utilizing all of the observatories on Maunakea and several observatories on Haleakala. This program focuses on rural public schools, working with students at a wide range of academic levels, from credit recovery to advanced placement research. The program is designed to empower students to envision themselves as individuals who can engage in a variety of STEM professions, including astronomy, engineering, computer science, data analytics, and systems design.

The legislature further notes that through mentoring and collaboration, numerous Maunakea scholars have gone on to pursue STEM degrees, including astronomy degrees at the university of Hawaii at Manoa and university of Hawaii at Hilo, and employment in the astronomy, education, and engineering fields. Spin-off programs include the new Waipahu high school observatory, the only professional-grade high school observatory in the State. The program involves ten public high schools and is already at capacity given currently available resources. Expanding the program to all public high schools and including additional disciplines, such as engineering, is viable but will require additional staff and resources.

The legislature believes that integrating distinct programs, such as those developed by the institute for astronomy and the college of engineering, to provide career pathway continuity into jobs for local students is central to the envisioned workforce development program. Persistent mentoring to help bridge the historic gaps between education and employment tracks for local students, leading them to fulfilling, long-term careers, is the holistic approach that is needed.

Moreover, the legislature finds that at the nexus of so many workforce development components, the institute for astronomy is the logical place to host a next-generation workforce development program that connects local students with hands-on STEM training and careers. Coordinating all of this activity and sustained funding to cover operational costs will be essential to leveraging investments in place now and enabling the kindergarten-to-career approach needed, which is intended to grow the pool of Hawaiiꞌs workforce, not only in space sciences but in the engineering field as a whole.

Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the institute for astronomy, in collaboration with the college of engineering, to support the university of Hawaiiꞌs space science and engineering initiative.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $650,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to provide salaries, office supplies, stipends and other operational expenses for these programs for the university of Hawaii at Manoa institute for astronomy, to be allocated as follows:

(1) $400,000 for salaries and fringe benefits for the following positions:

(A) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) university of Hawaii space science and engineering initiative workforce development program manager;

(B) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Maunakea scholars program coordinator; and

(C) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) administrative clerk for the university of Hawaii space science and engineering initiative workforce development program; and

(2) $250,000 for office equipment and supplies, operational costs, and internship stipends for high school and college students.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	767
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII