STAND. COM. REP. NO. 578

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1591

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1591 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to require the Legislative Reference Bureau to prepare legislation that establishes the Hawaii State University.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo (UH-Hilo) and the UH-Hilo Student Association testified in support of this bill. The University of Hawaii opposed the measure. The Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) offered comments on the bill.

Your Committee finds that while the UH-Hilo provides numerous course offerings and opportunities for advanced degrees, it does not have the resources to adequately compete with the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Many Big Island students would like the opportunity to further their studies on their home island. This bill begins the process to research the feasibility of a Hawaii State University and helps address the needs of Big Island students to continue their post-secondary education.

To promote further discussion and assist LRB in drafting this legislation, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Deleting any reference to H.B. No. 1715, regular session of 1991;

(2) Deleting the appropriation; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance to determine whether an appropriation is necessary for LRB to draft this legislation.

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 H.B. No. 1591, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1591, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

 

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair