STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1187

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 1157
                                     S.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No.
1157, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE LIBRARIAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide more authority to the
Board of Education (BOE) in the recruitment and retention of the
State Librarian by:

     (1)  Authorizing a term of up to four years;

     (2)  Removing the salary cap until July 1, 2004, when the
          salary shall be set by the Legislature; and

     (3)  Deleting the residency requirement.

     Testimony in support of the bill was submitted by the Board
of Education and an individual.

     Your Committee finds that this bill will make the
appointment of the State Librarian more consistent with the
appointment of the Superintendent of Education, who is also
appointed by the BOE.

     Allowing the BOE to appoint the State Librarian for a term
of up to four years is intended to provide stability and
encourage the State Librarian to take a long-range perspective in
managing the Library System.


 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1187
                                 Page 2

 
     Authorizing the BOE to set the State Librarian's salary is
intended to ensure that, when it is time to recruit a new State
Librarian, the pool of candidates consists of individuals who are
sufficiently qualified.  However, the Legislature continues to
have oversight responsibilities, and the five-year sunset on the
removal of the salary cap is intended to allow the BOE to
demonstrate that it will proceed responsibly in setting the State
Librarian's salary.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
1157, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be
referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Education,



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair