RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

HB1205

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1205

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to workforce development
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.

�
Hawaii offers a unique opportunity for
job growth and economic development through its important geographic location.
�
In fiscal year 2022, the State received almost
$9,000,000,000 in defense spending.
�
Furthermore,
the number of defense-related jobs increased by about ten thousand jobs from
fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022.
�
Many
of these jobs are in the areas of information technology, cybersecurity,
intelligence, data science, and advanced manufacturing fields.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to build a local workforce to meet this growing demand.

����
SECTION 2.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as
may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for economic diversification to
develop and increase the defense-related workforce in the State.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the
workforce development council for the purposes of this Act; provided that the
workforce development council incorporates and implements:

����
(1)
�
Training programs to:

���������
(A)
�
Collaborate with local educational
institutions and industry partners to develop specialized training programs, and
implement them on fields with high demand such as information technology,
cybersecurity, intelligence, data science, and advanced manufacturing; and

���������
(B)
�
Career development opportunities for current
workforce members to transition into defense-related roles;

����
(2)
�
Establish partnerships with private entities
and defense contractors to:

����
����
(A)
�
Create
internship and apprenticeship programs, to offer hands-on experience and career
opportunities in defense-related industries; and

���������
(B)
�
Facilitate employer-driven training
initiatives to ensure alignment with industry needs and standards;

����
(3)
�
Grants and scholarships to:

����
����
(A)
�
Allocate
grants to community colleges, universities, and training centers for career development
or career enhancement curriculums to align with defense-related workforce
requirements; and

����
����
(B)
�
Offer
scholarships or tuition assistance for students pursuing degrees or
certifications in targeted fields;

����
(4)
�
Outreach and recruitment to:

���������
(A)
�
Conduct outreach campaigns to raise awareness
about opportunities in defense-related fields, with a focus on engaging
underrepresented populations, including Native Hawaiians, women, and rural
communities; and

���������
(B)
�
Host job fairs, workshops, and informational
sessions to connect job seekers with training and employment opportunities; and

����
(5)
�
Program evaluation and monitoring to:

����
����
(A)
�
Evaluate
the effectiveness of funded initiatives, by using results from metrics such as
job placements, participant satisfaction, and employer feedback; and

����
����
(B)
�
Use
evaluation data to continuously improve program offerings and ensure alignment
with workforce demands.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Workforce
Development Council; Economic Diversification; Defense Budget; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds for the workforce development council
to incorporate and implement a framework for the workforce diversification and
expansion of the defense-related workforce in fields such as information
technology, cybersecurity, intelligence, data science, and advanced
manufacturing.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.