Appropriates funds to the department of education for three district level business specialists for the districts of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui. (SD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in the three years since the office of business services has consolidated its administrative services on the island of Oahu, eliminating the district business specialist positions, the cost and time to service schools has resulted in less than satisfactory support, especially on the neighbor islands.

As a result, principals are having to pick up the duties usually provided by the district business specialists, which takes away their time and effort needed for other important administrative duties.

The purpose of this Act is to provide funding for three business specialist positions for the districts of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002 and the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 for three business specialist positions for the districts of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui. The duties of the business specialists shall include managing capital improvement projects, repair and maintenance of facilities, school and employee security, student transportation, scheduling of public facilities usage, development of school budgets, oversight of school funds, preparing vouchers, procurement requests, payroll reports, developing expenditure plans, biennial and supplemental budgets and audits of school finances. Flexibility for the department shall be provided by including these positions in bargaining unit 6 which may not require school or teaching experience based on the complexity of the duties and responsibilities to be performed, or require complex administrative or technical skills.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.