STAND. COM. REP. NO.2923

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2235

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2235, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a Pacific Center for Ecosystem Science within the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (UHM).

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Maui Pineapple Company, Ltd., Hawaii's Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and two UHM faculty members.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaiian islands have been called the "biological crown jewel" of the United States, but unfortunately, Hawaii's native ecosystems are among the most endangered in the world. Your Committee agrees that this project will not only bring much needed attention to Hawaii's ecosystems, but will also attract human and financial capital to Hawaii through this expansion of our post-secondary education industry. Your Committee also supports the concept of consolidating government operations and collaboration with private organizations to better leverage limited state resources.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by inserting the contents of S.B. 2579, S.D.1, which:

(1) Deletes all references to a governing board of directors;

(2) Deletes establishment of a special fund;

(3) Deletes all specific references to the number, salary level, and academic subject matter of the positions to be created within UHM;

(4) Deletes reference to the amount of matching funds required for the University to receive State funding; and

(5) Makes technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and style.

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. 2235, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2235, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair