Hawaii-2018-HB24-Introduced

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the University of Hawaii system includes a vast number of buildings, some of which contain classrooms and laboratory facilities that often go unused. However, the University of Hawaii board of regents has approved the construction of new buildings while existing buildings are not being utilized to their full potential. The legislature finds that the cost of constructing and maintaining new buildings instead of seeking to utilize existing facilities is a matter of statewide concern, as land space and state moneys are both limited resources.

The purpose of this Act is to require the board of regents to promote the utilization of existing University of Hawaii system buildings.

SECTION 2. Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new subpart to part VI to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

" . USE OF FACILITIES

§304A-A Use of facilities. (a) The board of regents shall develop and make publicly available procedures for the full utilization of existing university facilities, including plans for the use of distance and online education.

(b) The administration of each university or community college governed by the board of regents shall include on its website data on the utilization of classroom and laboratory facilities. The data shall be updated annually and include the following:

(1) Total number of classrooms and laboratories available for instructional use that are not under renovation;

(2) Total number of classrooms and laboratories available for instructional use that are under renovation;

(3) Total available square footage of instructional space that is not under renovation;

(4) Total available square footage of instructional space that is under renovation;

(5) Average hours per week of instructional usage of classrooms and laboratories, reported by day of the week and time of day;

(6) Average percentage of seats and stations filled in all courses taught in campus classrooms and laboratories that are available for instruction, reported by day of the week and time of day;

(7) Number of courses the institution offers online; and

(8) Plans for development of future online courses.

(c) By June 30 of each year following the effective date of this Act, the administration of each university or community college campus governed by the board of regents shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the chairs of each legislative standing committee with jurisdiction over higher education a written report summarizing the data required in subsection (b).

§304A-B Approval of new building construction. The board of regents shall not approve the construction of a proposed university building until a public hearing has been held to examine the:

(1) Utilization of existing facilities, as reported under section 304A-A, for the three-year period immediately preceding the date of the hearing;

(2) Projected maintenance costs for the proposed building over its projected lifetime; and

(3) Funding sources for the proposed building,

provided that this section shall not apply to the construction of a proposed university building projected to cost less than $10,000,000."

SECTION 3. Section 304A-2672, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§304A-2672 Powers of the board. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the board may:

(1) Designate as a university project, any undertaking, improvement, or facility on any one or more of the areas in one or more of the educational institutions under the jurisdiction of the board;

(2) Construct and maintain university projects, including a university project included or to be in a university system; provided that all procurements for professional services furnished by licensees under chapter 464 for construction projects shall be coordinated with the department of accounting and general services on behalf of the board; provided further that the department of accounting and general services shall not be responsible for procurements determined by both the University of Hawaii and the department of accounting and general services to be professional services furnished by licensees under chapter 464 for repair and maintenance; provided further that the board shall not approve the construction of a proposed university building until the requirements of section 304A-B have been met;

(3) Combine two or more university projects into a university system on one or more of the areas on any one or more of the educational institutions under the jurisdiction of the board, and to maintain the system;

(4) Combine two or more university projects, university systems, or university projects and university systems into a network, on any one or more of the areas on any one or more of the educational institutions under the jurisdiction of the board, and to maintain the network;

(5) Prescribe and collect rents, fees, and charges for the use of or services furnished by any university project and the facilities thereof, and pledge any appropriation to any university project and the facilities thereof that in aggregate, produces revenue of the university at least sufficient to comply with section 304A-2681;

(6) With the approval of the governor, issue revenue bonds under this subpart in such principal amount as may be authorized by the legislature from time to time to finance in whole or in part the cost of construction or the cost of maintenance of any university project, including funding reserves therefor;

(7) Pledge to the punctual payment of revenue bonds and interest thereon, all or any part of the revenue of the university, including any appropriation, in an amount sufficient to pay the revenue bonds and interest as the same become due and to create and maintain reasonable reserves therefor;

(8) Establish a loan program or a commercial paper program upon terms and conditions that the board may determine; and

(9) Advance moneys of the university, not otherwise required, and do any and all other lawful acts as may be necessary, convenient, or desirable, for carrying into execution and administering this subpart."

SECTION 4. Section 304A-2673, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§304A-2673[]] Designation and authorization of university projects, university systems, networks; authorization of revenue bonds. The designation and authorization of construction and maintenance of a university project, university system, or network, and the authorization for issuance of revenue bonds under this subpart shall be by resolution of the board by a majority of all the members of the board then in office[.]; provided that the board shall not pass a resolution authorizing the construction of a new university building unless the requirements of section 304A-B are met. Any resolution may be adopted at the same meeting at which it is introduced and shall take effect immediately upon adoption."

SECTION 5. In codifying the new sections added by section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

SECTION 7. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	24
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
STATE OF HAWAII