Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 480, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education for three district level business specialists for the districts of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui.

Your Committee heard testimony in support of the measure from the Superintendent of Education, Superintendents of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai Districts, and Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Your Committee finds that the proposed business specialist positions will provide business support functions that cannot be provided at the school level by the state offices. Adequate staffing will ensure that the administrative functions of public schools are performed effectively. This is especially important in light of the Felix Consent Decree, an expanded repair and maintenance program to meet the $600 million backlog, and other administratively complex projects that have been initiated recently.

Your Committee has amended the measure by specifying the job duties of the prospective business specialists.

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. 480, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 480, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.