Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2033, H.D. 3, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to propose amendments to the State constitution to:

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to the bill from the Department of Budget and Finance, Hawaii State Teachers Association, League of Woman Voters, Hawaii Government Employees Association, and a private individual. Your Committees received comments from the Hawaii Business Roundtable and Office of Information Practices.

Your Committees find that restructuring the governance of Hawaii's schools is essential to any significant improvement in them. However, this measure subverts the autonomy of local school boards by allowing the Governor to select the Superintendent of Education and giving that position the authority to make educational policy that would then be implemented by the local school boards.

Your Committees have amended the measure by replacing its contents with the contents of S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 1, which replaces the current elected statewide Board of Education with a statewide board comprised of the member representatives of elected district boards of education. The statewide board will formulate statewide educational policy and appoint the Superintendent of Education.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2033, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2033, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.