CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 176

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2007

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1931

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 3

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam and Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1931, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to increase and support workforce development in the State by establishing the Educational Workforce Working Group to examine workforce and workforce-related issues; requiring the Department of Education to include plans for workforce-related needs in its strategic plan; requiring the University of Hawaii to report to the Legislature on workforce development efforts; and appropriating funds for workforce development liaisons and support staff for the Department of Education.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that current and future workforce needs in the State must be addressed through comprehensive, focused, and concerted efforts of the Department of Education and the University of Hawaii System.  Although other entities currently exist to address workforce development issues, there is still a lack of understanding as to where the needs are, how they are being met, and what can be done to better meet the current and future workforce needs of the State.  This measure establishes a working group to explore the aforementioned and other issues and to report to the Legislature so that focused efforts can be made in the future to address workforce needs.  Your Committee on Conference determines that in order to cull relevant information from other existing entities involved in workforce development, the composition of the working group members should be reconsidered.

 

     Additionally, this measure requires the Department of Education to address educational and workforce related needs in its strategic plan and requires the University of Hawaii provide relevant information on its efforts to address workforce development needs and its plans for improving those efforts in the future.  The receipt of this information will assist the Legislature in addressing current and future workforce development needs of the State in an informed manner.  This measure also appropriates funds for a workforce academy liaison in the Department of Education, who would be responsible for coordinating workforce development efforts with the academies to provide students with career exploration, awareness, and mentoring.  Your Committee on Conference believes that a comprehensive approach should be taken to coordinate and expand workforce development efforts in the State to meet the current and future needs of both the public and private sectors.  These efforts will require additional staff to address and facilitate workforce development that utilizes resources in and meets the needs of the public and private sectors.

 

     Upon further review, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the composition of the panel to be as follow:

 

          (A)  Two representatives appointed by the president of the senate;

 

          (B)  Two representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

 

          (C)  The director of business, economic development, and tourism or the director's designee;

 

          (D)  The superintendent of education or the superintendent's designee;

 

          (E)  Two representatives from the University of Hawaii system; provided that at least one shall be the chancellor of a community college;

 

          (F)  Two high school principals appointed by the superintendent of education from the high school principals leadership group;

 

          (G)  The executive director of the Hawaii P-20 council or the executive director's designee;

 

          (H)  The chairperson of the workforce development council or the chairperson's designee;

 

          (I)  The president and chief executive officer of Enterprise Honolulu or the president and chief executive officer's designee;

 

          (J)  The president of the Hawaii Science and Technology Council or the president's designee;

 

          (K)  The president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Community Foundation or the president and chief executive officer's designee; and

 

          (L)  The executive director of the Honolulu Community Action Program or the executive director's designee;

 

     (2)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $25,000 for each year of the fiscal biennium 2007-2009 for the Workforce Working Group and $125,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008 and $50,000 for fiscal year 2008-2009 for workforce development liaison positions and support staff within the Department of Education;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2007; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1931, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1931, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Co-Chair

 

 

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Co-Chair

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Co-Chair