STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3345

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2415

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2415, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGH TECHNOLOGY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify the amounts of grants the High Technology Development Corporation may award to certain businesses.

 

     Specifically, this measure allows the High Technology Development Corporation to grant:

 

(1)  Up to fifty per cent of the amount received by a business under a federal small business innovation research phase I award or contract rather than the lesser of that amount or a maximum of $25,000; and

 

(2)  Up to fifty per cent of the amount received by a business under a federal small business technology transfer program award or contract rather than a maximum of $25,000.

 

This measure repeals part IV of chapter 206M, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the High Technology Innovation Corporation, and terminates any contractual obligations entered into by the High Technology Innovation Corporation upon repeal of chapter 206M.  Finally, this measure appropriates $200,000 for small business innovation research grants or small business technology transfer program grants.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Aquaculture Association.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the High Technology Development Corporation offered comments.

 

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure to change the appropriation amount of $200,000 to an unspecified amount for the purpose of promoting further discussion.  Your Committee has also made a technical nonsubstantive amendment to correct an erroneous reference to the repeal of the entirety of chapter 206M, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the High Technology Development Corporation.  The repeal should refer to only "part IV of" chapter 206M, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the High Technology Innovation Corporation.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2415, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2415, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair