Hawaii Senate Bill SR173

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/7/25
• Refer: 3/12/25
• Report Pass: 3/31/25
• Passed: 4/1/25

Caption

Requesting The University Of Hawaii Community Colleges To Develop A Comprehensive List Of Bachelor's Degree Programs And Other Innovative Workforce Development Pathways That Directly Align With Job Opportunities And Industry Needs Within Their Respective Region Of Service.

Summary

SR173 is a Senate resolution requesting the University of Hawaii Community Colleges to develop a comprehensive list of bachelor’s degree programs and other workforce development pathways that are closely aligned with regional job opportunities and industry needs. The resolution emphasizes that Hawaii’s economic health depends on a skilled workforce and identifies key sectors such as tourism and hospitality, agriculture, marine research, renewable energy, and health care as areas where education and training should be better matched to labor demand. The resolution asks the community colleges to evaluate each region’s economic drivers and strengths, consider both current job needs and future workforce trends, and work with local industry leaders and stakeholders when shaping programs. It is framed as a planning and coordination measure rather than a mandate, and it directs the University of Hawaii system to provide the requested information to the Senate through the President of the University of Hawaii and the Vice President for Community Colleges.

Impact

SR173 does not directly amend state statutes or create enforceable legal requirements. Instead, it expresses the Senate’s policy preference and requests action from the University of Hawaii Community Colleges to assess and potentially expand bachelor’s degree offerings and other workforce pathways in ways that better align with regional labor market needs. Its practical impact is to encourage program review, regional workforce alignment, and closer collaboration between higher education and industry, which could influence future academic offerings and workforce development planning.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests favorable sentiment toward the resolution. The Senate Higher Education committee passed the measure with amendments by a 3-0 vote, indicating unanimous support among those voting and general agreement with the bill’s workforce-development goals. No opposing testimony or recorded committee debate was provided, and the resolution’s tone is broadly supportive of education-to-employment alignment.

Contention

No major points of contention are evident in the provided record. The main policy issue implicit in the resolution is whether community colleges should expand or tailor bachelor’s degree programs and workforce pathways based on regional economic needs, which may raise questions about resource allocation, program duplication, and how closely higher education should track local labor market demands. However, the committee vote and lack of recorded opposition suggest these concerns were not prominent in the available discussion.