Bill Text: HI SB3116 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: University of Hawaii College of Engineering; Appropriation ($)
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-06 - The committee on HRE deferred the measure. [SB3116 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2014-SB3116-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
3116 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
Making an appropriation to the UNIVERSITY of hawaii College of engineering.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds the University of Hawaii college of engineering has been offering engineering programs since 1908. Engineering is at the core of dynamic economic sectors including renewable energy, island sustainability, transportation, communication, security, military support, manufacturing, and construction. The engineering industry generates approximately six per cent of the State's gross domestic product.
The legislature further finds that the college of engineering is vital to the supply of the engineering workforce that will live and work in the State. Over the past thirty years, college of engineering graduates have generated more than 30,000 engineering related jobs for the State. The engineering workforce is critical to resolving the future challenges of the State including developing renewable energy systems, medical devices, safe water supplies, and energy efficient transportation systems; increasing recycling efforts and remanufacturing imported products; improving agricultural, information technology, and health delivery systems; alleviating the effects of global warming and sea level rise by rebuilding the State's costal infrastructure; assisting in securing the State during natural and manmade disasters; the exploration of the ocean and space; and generating a diversified economy based on new and emerging technological opportunities.
The legislature additionally finds that since 2006, engineering and pre engineering enrollment at the college has increased by over fifty per cent, and the college of engineering's competitive research expenditures have doubled since 2004. Students participate in many projects related to building and diversifying the State's economy in areas including: aerospace, manufacturing, building drones and associated communication systems, building and competing internationally with robots, building and competing nationally with civil engineering structures, and building surface and underwater autonomous vehicles. College of engineering students and faculty regularly compete and place in entrepreneurial challenges at the University of Hawaii and nationally. Three times in the last decade, the school has produced the top electrical engineering student in the United States.
The legislature also finds that the college of engineering has been occupying Holmes Hall since 1972. Holmes Hall, built forty-two years ago, was designed to meet a very different style of student engagement and teaching. Holmes Hall's current maintenance and repair bill is $18,000,000 and indicates the need to do a complete renovation to provide for new laboratory environments for teaching and research, new project space for students to experiment with hands-on project work, and new classroom environments, increasing the effectiveness of teaching tomorrow's engineers.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii college of engineering for the design and renovation of Holmes Hall.
SECTION 2. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $2,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the design and renovation of Holmes Hall.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2016, shall lapse as of that date.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2014.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
University of Hawaii College of Engineering; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates general obligation bonds to the University of Hawaii college of engineering for the design and renovation of Holmes Hall.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
