STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1193-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2980

S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor & Public Employment, Higher Education, and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2980, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to expand workforce development and apprenticeship programs, especially in the construction trades, by appropriating funds to:

(1) Expand the existing Hawaii Construction Academy (Academy) program from eight to 26 public high schools; and

(2) Expand the apprenticeship training programs at Honolulu Community College, Maui Community College, Hawaii Community College, and Kauai Community College.

The University of Hawaii (UH), Hawaii Business Roundtable, Pacific Resource Partnership, and Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii, Inc., testified in support of this bill. The Department of Education supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committees find that the recent closure of several businesses with longstanding ties to our state and a rapidly changing global economy have caused a tremendous shift in Hawaii's job market, highlighting the need for programs that can retain and develop workers to meet new challenges.

Hawaii's construction industry is also experiencing a resurgence, with the labor force unable to keep up with the employment demand. This situation is expected only to worsen with increases in residential and military construction on the horizon. Hawaii must prepare its workforce to meet the needs of a booming economy, especially in the field of construction.

Your Committees find that expanding the established Academy through a collaborative effort with UH, especially one that includes training in the latest construction technologies and environmentally-friendly building practices, will ensure that Hawaii has a knowledgeable and skilled construction workforce trained in "green building" principles that will also help preserve our environment.

Expansion of apprenticeship training programs in the UH community college system will also assist in meeting Hawaii's future workforce needs.

Your Committees find that this is an important first step in meeting all of the growing demands being placed on the construction trades and hope that, if proven successful, will be able to be expanded in the near future.

However, to accomplish these goals, UH has stated that it will cost approximately $5,500,000 in funding. While determining the specific funding amounts for these programs is beyond the purview of your Committees on Labor and Public Employment, Higher Education, and Education, your Committees respectfully request that the Committee on Finance consider fully funding this important measure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor & Public Employment, Higher Education, and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2980, S.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Labor & Public Employment and Higher Education and Education,

 

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TOMMY WATERS, Chair

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KIRK CALDWELL, Chair

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ROY TAKUMI, Chair