STAND. COM. REP. NO.  287-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2587

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2587, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO ESTABLISH CREATIVITY ACADEMIES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage Hawaii's students to develop the skills necessary to compete in today's increasingly global economy through learning experiences in the fields of new media arts and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  Specifically, this bill appropriates funds for equipment, training, the hiring of instructors, and marketing for the creative or production center incubator and for the development of a turnkey digital media program that can be replicated for use in the University of Hawaii (UH) community colleges.

 

     The Department of Education, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT), Keaau Middle College High School, Ulua Media, many faculty and students from the New Media Arts Program at the University of Hawaii's Kapiolani Community College, and many concerned individuals testified in strong support of this bill.  The UH Community Colleges supported the intent of this measure.

 

     Your Committee is concerned about the designation of DBEDT as the expending agency for such educational purposes, but will defer decision on this matter to the Committee on Finance.

 

     Your Committee also notes that despite the bill title, the provisions for which funds are being appropriated in the bill are an extension of existing creative academy and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (also known as STEM) programs.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2587, H.D. 1, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair

 

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair