Read the full stored bill text
HB563
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
563
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING
TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII's SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING INITIATIVE
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that there is a need in
the State for long-term science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) workforce development programs to foster a sustainable and economically
diverse base for advanced-technology-sector companies, particularly on the
neighbor islands.
�
Supporting such
industries in the State will stimulate economic growth and ensure that Hawaii's
youth are able to remain in Hawaii to pursue long-term, stable career paths in
these high-need areas.
����
The legislature further finds that
the university of Hawaii is uniquely situated to create viable STEM career
pathways through its network of campuses and engagements with the K-12
educational system.
�
The demand for more
formal educational, research, and career opportunities in space sciences and
engineering fields continues to grow, especially with renewed federal and
international interest in expanded space exploration.
�
However, less than fifteen per cent of
engineering schools nationwide have focused or dedicated aerospace or related
programs directly supporting these career paths.
����
The legislature also finds that increased
space mission and monitoring activities in Hawaii as well as the existing
ground-based observatory facilities on Maunakea and Haleakala are appropriate
platforms for instrumentation and detector technology development, facility
innovation, and operational upgrade and advancement investigations and could
thus expand employment opportunities for Hawaii's local high-tech
workforce.
�
In addition, a new facility
dedicated to engineering education and the development and fabrication of
astronomical instruments is in the design phase via funds previously provided
by the legislature.
�
This new building on
the university of Hawaii at Hilo campus adjacent to the institute for astronomy
building would increase the instructional and educational offerings to Hawaii's
students by providing student internships, undergraduate research
opportunities, and exposure to engineering careers in astronomy and other
fields.
����
In addition, the legislature finds
that the university of Hawaii's new space sciences and engineering initiative
(SSEI) is recruiting an initial cohort of dedicated engineering faculty within
the college of engineering through recent appropriations from the
legislature.
�
These new faculty will be
located at the university of Hawaii's Manoa campus and the institute for
astronomy's facility on the university of Hawaii at Hilo campus.
�
This engineering cohort will focus on
teaching, research, and engineering applied to astronomy, aerospace, and
advanced technologies, offering for the first time an engineering degree
pathway for university of Hawaii at Hilo students.
�
A cornerstone of the program is integrating
this team with high‑tech development and instrumentation at the
observatories on Maunakea and Haleakala, which combined have facilities worth
over $1,000,000,000 and regularly sustain research, education, and technology
development advancements.
����
Furthermore, the legislature
recognizes that these globally significant investments in Hawaii, which together
generate more than $200,000,000 in annual economic impact statewide, can serve
as the basis for a workforce development program that substantially deepens the
long-term benefits of these investments for local students, businesses, and
communities.
�
The most cost-effective
approach to creating such a workforce development program is to expand upon
programs that have demonstrated success; integrate them into a continuum of
support from kindergarten to careers; and link students to a multitude of
educational hands-on learning opportunities and, ultimately, employers.
�
The building blocks for such a program are
substantially in place, but additional resources are needed to integrate and
expand them, providing a robust, globally unique, end-to-end STEM workforce
development program.
����
The legislature additionally finds
that premier examples of programs that serve as vital tracks at the high school
and undergraduate levels for the proposed next-generation workforce development
program include the Maunakea scholars program and the new Maunakea
observatories internship program.
�
The
Maunakea scholars program is made possible through a partnership between the
department of education, university of Hawaii, and Maunakea Observatories.
�
The program started as a pilot program in
2016 involving students at both Kapolei and Waiakea high schools, and over 1,200
students have since participated in the program in schools on Oahu, Lanai,
Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii island.
�
This
program, the first and only one of its kind in the world, pairs high school
students with mentors, predominantly graduate students at the university of
Hawaii institute for astronomy, to help the students design and execute their
own research projects utilizing all of the observatories on Maunakea and
several observatories on Haleakala.
�
This
program focuses on rural public schools, working with students at a wide range
of academic levels, from credit recovery to advanced placement research.
�
The program is designed to empower students
to envision themselves as individuals who can engage in a variety of STEM
professions, including astronomy, engineering, computer science, data
analytics, and systems design.
����
The legislature further notes that through
mentoring and collaboration, numerous Maunakea scholars have gone on to pursue
STEM degrees, including astronomy degrees at the university of Hawaii at Manoa
and university of Hawaii at Hilo, and employment in the astronomy, education,
and engineering fields.
�
Spin-off
programs include the new Waipahu high school observatory, the only
professional-grade high school observatory in the State.
�
The program involves ten public high schools
and is already at capacity given currently available resources.
�
Expanding the program to all public high
schools and including additional disciplines, such as engineering, is viable
but will require additional staff and resources.
����
The legislature believes that
integrating distinct programs, such as those developed by the institute for
astronomy and the college of engineering, to provide career pathway continuity
into jobs for local students is central to the envisioned workforce development
program.
�
Persistent mentoring to help
bridge the historic gaps between education and employment tracks for local
students, leading them to fulfilling, long-term careers, is the holistic
approach that is needed.
����
Moreover, the legislature finds that
at the nexus of so many workforce development components, the institute for
astronomy is the logical place to host a next-generation workforce development
program that connects local students with hands-on STEM training and careers.
�
Coordinating all of this activity and
sustained funding to cover operational costs will be essential to leveraging
investments in place now and enabling the kindergarten-to-career approach
needed, which is intended to grow the pool of Hawaii
ꞌ
s workforce, not only in space sciences but in
the engineering field as a whole.
����
Therefore, the purpose of this Act
is to appropriate funds to the institute for astronomy, in collaboration with
the college of engineering, to support the university of Hawaii
ꞌ
s space science and
engineering initiative.
����
SECTION 2.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $650,000 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 to provide salaries, office
supplies, stipends and other operational expenses for these programs for the
university of Hawaii at Manoa institute for astronomy, to be allocated as
follows:
����
(1)
�
$400,000 for salaries and fringe benefits for the
following positions:
���������
(A)
�
One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) university
of Hawaii space science and engineering initiative workforce development
program manager;
���������
(B)
�
One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Maunakea
scholars program coordinator; and
���������
(C)
�
One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE)
administrative clerk for the university of Hawaii space science and engineering
initiative workforce development program; and
����
(2)
�
$250,000 for office equipment and supplies, operational
costs, and internship stipends for high school and college students.
����
The sums appropriated shall be expended by
the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.
����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
University
of Hawaii; Space Sciences Workforce Development Program; Maunakea Scholars
Program; Internship Program; Equipment and Supplies; Stipends; Positions;
Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for salaries and fringe benefits of
positions for the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy's Space Science and
Engineering Initiative Workforce Development Program, Maunakea Scholars
Program, and Internship Program.
�
Appropriates funds for office equipment and supplies, operational costs,
and stipends for the Maunakea Scholars Program and Internship Program.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.