Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 478 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to amend the State Constitution to allow the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds (SPRBs) to assist not-for-profit organizations including:

(1) Private and sectarian elementary schools;

(2) Secondary schools; and

(3) Universities and colleges.

These institutions must be nondiscriminatory and selected according to neutral secular criteria.

The Hawaii Association of Independent Schools supported this bill. The Department of Education and the Department of Budget and Finance commented on this bill.

Your Committee finds that SPRBs could greatly help independent schools in Hawaii that struggle to keep their doors open and have difficulty obtaining financing for improvement projects. It is in the State's interest to facilitate learning for all students in Hawaii, whether they attend public or private schools.

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 H.B. No. 478 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.