STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1035

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1256

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Higher Education and Economic Development & Business, to which was referred S.B. No. 1256, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL SPACE CENTER FOR EXPLORATION SYSTEMS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support the development and expansion of the aerospace, robotics, and related industries by appropriating an unspecified amount of general revenues for the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES).  This measure also requires PISCES to report to the Legislature on its business plan for the Aerospace Technology Research and Development Park project.

 

     The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, District Three Councilmember of the Hawaii County Council, Chairman of the Hawaii Aerospace Advisory Committee, an astronaut of the Apollo XI Mission, and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawaii at Hilo; and several concerned individuals supported the intent of this measure.  The Lieutenant Governor of Alaska provided comments.


     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting additional language in the preamble to describe PISCES' objectives and proposed projects in greater detail;

 

     (2)  Increasing the scope of the report to the Legislature by requiring PISCES to include:

 

          (A)  Any progress made toward the development of a world-class space center in Hawaii;

 

          (B)  The development of technologies for basalt concrete composition and delivery and effect on the level of cement and bitumen imports into the State;

 

          (C)  The status of all working relationships with educational and research institutions, federal agencies, and local industry on the use of existing basalt resources in the State to identify, verify, and validate sustainable and in-situ concrete binders;

 

          (D)  Any progress made toward the development of a robotic operator training and certification program, including program location, course and curriculum development, and when the program is expected to begin accepting students;

 

          (E)  The level of private sector investment in aerospace and related industries, including the number and nature of any partnerships with private industry to facilitate State-based manufacturing and operations related to green energy technology;

 

          (F)  The status of the memorandum of understanding with Hawaii Techworks and the East Hawaii Community Development Corporation regarding the cultivation of a skilled local workforce to support planned manufacturing operations; and

 

          (G)  A detailed statement of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses for each fiscal year ending June 30;

 

     (3)  Requiring the report to be submitted to the Legislature no later than September 1, 2013, rather than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2014 Regular Session;

 

     (4)  Amending the scope of the appropriation to make it broader in its application;

 

     (5)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $1,200,000;

 

     (6)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2013; and

 

     (7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Economic Development & Business that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1256, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1256, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Economic Development & Business,

 

 

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair

 

____________________________

ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair