STAND. COM. REP. NO.43-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 1873

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1873 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to create a public-private technology development working group to increase greater private sector involvement in future initiatives to expand technology development in the State.

The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and two students submitted testimony in support of this bill. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the Hawaii Technology Trade Association (HTTA) submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that HTTA has worked diligently on public-private collaborations such as those created in this bill. Your Committee would like to further note that efforts to reach out to the future workforce of the State and promote the high technology economy to all age groups, including students in all grade levels, is critical.

Because HTTA has already worked closely with the organizations identified in this bill as members of the technology working group, your Committee finds that it is not necessary to convene the working group. However, it would be of benefit to the Legislature to remain apprised of HTTA's continuing efforts in this area.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by deleting its substance and inserting provisions requiring HTTA to report to the Governor and the Legislature prior to the Regular Sessions of 2003 and 2004 on the progress of its public-private efforts to foster the growth of the technology industry in Hawaii.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1873, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1873, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns.

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

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair