STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2396

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2543

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Higher Education and the Arts and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2543 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Make explicit the responsibility of the University of Hawaii Community Colleges to provide short-term and rapid response occupational and certification programs designed to qualify individuals to fill new and hard-to-fill positions that require technical training; and

 

     (2)  Appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii for occupational training and certification programs designed to rapidly qualify persons to fill new and hard-to-fill positions.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System, United Public Workers, and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.

 

Your Committees find that it is important for colleges to react quickly to the modern economy by meeting the technical workforce needs of the public and private sectors.  This includes filling emerging job opportunities as well as upgrading the skills of existing workers to meet the requirements of their positions that may change with advances in technology.  Your Committees find that responding to workforce needs requires the development of training that is delivered rapidly and in a format other than a formal degree program.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and the Arts and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2543 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair

 

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair