Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 532 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to institute an open recruitment policy for designated positions, and develop a career development and training program for those positions.

Your Committees heard testimony in support of the measure from the Department of Education, and in opposition to the measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Your Committees find that it is important that those highly qualified and committed individuals attracted to specialized positions within the department that do not require a background in the education field be allowed to serve. These specialized positions might include such areas as budget analysts, facilities planners, personnel specialists, procurement specialists, computer specialists, and data processing specialists as examples. Redescribing the recruitment process for such technical support positions and focusing on the technical qualifications will open up a talent pool to secure individuals well qualified to provide the needed technical support to schools.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 532 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.