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. 868, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify that the military representative to the Board of Education shall be seated alongside other Board members during meetings and shall participate fully in Board discussions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce and the United States Pacific Command. Testimony in opposition was submitted by the Board of Education.

Your Committee finds that this measure has a companion measure that passed out of the Senate and was transmitted to the House of Representatives.

Your Committee supports the intent of these companion measures. Your Committee finds that with the large number of military personnel in the State, it is appropriate to give a military representative a significant role in the Board of Education meetings. Although existing law provides for a military liaison on the Board, your Committee supports provisions ensuring that the representative sits alongside other Board members and fully participates in all discussions and debates of the Board.

Your Committee amended this measure by replacing its contents with the contents of its companion measure, S.B. No. 1563, S.D. 1. The substantive difference between the two is that the Senate version excludes the military representative from participation in executive meetings held pursuant to section 92-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Your Committee further amended this measure to delete the provisions specifying the length of the military representative's term as two years. This will provide the senior military commander in Hawaii the flexibility to appoint service members whose tour of duty may be shorter than two years.

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. 868, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 868, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations.