Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2021 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow the Department of Education (DOE) to provide suitable transportation to and from school for students attending not-for-profit private and sectarian elementary and secondary schools, provided that eligibility for such transportation has been determined in a nondiscriminatory manner on the basis of neutral, secular criteria.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu and an individual submitted testimony in support of this bill. The Hawaii State Teachers Association submitted testimony in opposition to this bill. DOE and the Department of Accounting and General Services submitted comments on this bill.

Your Committee finds that this bill would provide students who attend private schools and are along the busline of transportation for public school students to utilize this bus system. Your Committee would like to note that such transportation would only be provided if it can be done at no additional cost to the State, and students from private schools who utilize the public school transportation system would be expected to pay fees to do so.

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. 2021 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.