RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

SB2020

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2020

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
.

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

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SECTION 1.
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The
legislature finds that long-term science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics workforce development programs foster a sustainable and
economically diverse base for advanced technology companies, particularly on
the neighbor islands.
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Supporting advanced
technology industries in the State will stimulate economic growth and ensure
that Hawaii's youth can remain in Hawaii to pursue long-term, stable careers in
these high-need areas.

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The legislature further finds that the
university of Hawaii can create viable career pathways through its network of
campuses and engagement with students in grades kindergarten through twelve.
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The demand continues to grow for educational,
research, and career opportunities in the space sciences and engineering fields
especially with the renewed federal and international interest in expanded
space exploration.
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However, less than
fifteen per cent of engineering schools nationwide currently have dedicated programs
directly supporting these career paths.

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The legislature also finds that increased
space mission and space monitoring activities in Hawaii, as well as the
existing ground-based observatory facilities on Maunakea and Haleakala, provide
appropriate platforms for instrumentation and detector technology development,
facility innovation, and operational upgrade and advancement investigations.
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These resources can expand employment
opportunities for Hawaii's high-tech workforce.

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In addition, a new facility dedicated to engineering
education and the development and fabrication of astronomical instruments was
previously funded by the legislature and is now in the design phase.
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This new building on the university of Hawaii
at Hilo campus will support Hawaii's students by expanding student internships,
undergraduate research opportunities, and students' exposure to engineering
careers in astronomy and other fields.

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The legislature further finds that the
university of Hawaii's new space science and engineering initiative is
recruiting an initial cohort of dedicated engineering faculty within the
college of engineering through recent appropriations from the legislature.
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The new engineering faculty will be located
at the university of Hawaii at Manoa and the institute for astronomy's facility
at the university of Hawaii at Hilo.
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The
faculty will focus on teaching, research, and engineering applied to astronomy,
aerospace, and advanced technologies.
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For
the first time, an engineering degree pathway will be available to university
of Hawaii at Hilo students.

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A cornerstone of the initiative is providing
the new faculty access to the high-tech development and instrumentation at the
observatories on Maunakea and Haleakala.
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Together, the observatories have facilities worth over $1,000,000,000
and regularly support advances in research, education, and technology.

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Furthermore, the legislature recognizes
that these globally significant investments in Hawaii, which together generate
more than $200,000,000 annually statewide, can serve as the basis for a
workforce development program that substantially deepens the long-term benefits
of these investments for Hawaii students, businesses, and communities.
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The most cost-effective approach to creating a
workforce development program is to integrate successful, existing programs
into a continuum of support from kindergarten students to career professionals by
linking students to hands-on learning opportunities and, ultimately, employers.

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The building blocks for a workforce
development program are substantially in place, but additional resources are
needed to expand this foundation and create a robust and globally unique
end-to-end science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce
development program.

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The legislature additionally finds that the
Maunakea scholars program and the new Maunakea observatories internship program
are developing the next-generation workforce at the high school and
undergraduate levels.
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The Maunakea scholars
program is a partnership between the department of education, university of
Hawaii, and Maunakea observatories.
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The
program began as a pilot program in 2016 involving students at both Kapolei and
Waiakea high schools.
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More than one
thousand two hundred students have since participated in the program in schools
on the islands of Oahu, Lanai, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii.

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The Maunakea observatories internship
program pairs high school students with mentors, including graduate students at
the university of Hawaii institute for astronomy.
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The mentors help the students design and
execute their own research projects using all observatories on Maunakea and
several observatories on Haleakala.
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The
program focuses on rural public schools and includes students at varying
academic levels.
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The program is designed
to empower students to envision themselves as individuals who can engage in a
variety of professions, including astronomy, engineering, computer science,
data analytics, and systems design.

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The legislature further notes that, through
mentoring and collaboration, numerous Maunakea scholars have pursued science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics 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.

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Spinoff projects include the new Waipahu
high school observatory, the only professional-grade high school observatory in
the State.
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The observatory serves ten
public high schools, representing its full capacity given currently available
resources.
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Expanding the reach of the
observatory to all public high schools and including additional disciplines,
such as engineering, are viable possibilities but will require additional staff
and resources.

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The legislature believes that a successful
workforce development program must leverage existing programs, such as those
developed by the institute for astronomy and the college of engineering, to
provide career pathways into jobs for Hawaii students.
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A holistic approach will include ongoing
mentoring to help bridge the historic gaps between education and employment
tracks for Hawaii students, leading the students to fulfilling, long-term
careers.

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Moreover, the legislature finds that the
institute for astronomy, the nexus of many workforce development components, is
the most logical place to host a next-generation workforce development program.

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Coordinating the development of this
program and providing sustained funding to cover operational costs will be
essential to maintain existing investments and enable the
kindergarten-to-career approach.
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The
legislature emphasizes the importance of growing Hawaii's workforce, not only
in space sciences but also in all engineering disciplines.

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Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to
appropriate moneys to support the university of Hawaii's space science and
engineering initiative workforce development program and the coordination and
integration of various programs and projects supporting pathways to science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics careers.

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SECTION 2.
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There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $
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or so much thereof as may be necessary for
fiscal year 2026-2027 to provide salaries, office supplies, stipends and other
operational expenses for the university of Hawaii institute for astronomy, to
be allocated as follows:

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(1)
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$
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for salaries and fringe benefits for
the following positions:

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(A)
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full-time equivalent (
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FTE) university of Hawaii space science and engineering
initiative workforce development program manager;

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(B)
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full-time equivalent (
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FTE) Maunakea scholars program coordinator;
and

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(C)
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full-time equivalent (
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FTE) administrative clerk for the university
of Hawaii space science and engineering initiative workforce development
program; and

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(2)
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$
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for office equipment and supplies,
operational costs, and internship stipends for high school and college
students.

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The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 3.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

UH; Institute for Astronomy; Space Science and Engineering
Initiative; Workforce Development Program; Internship Program; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
moneys to the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy's Space Science and
Engineering Initiative Workforce Development Program.

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