Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 113 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to recognize the Orion Society for its commitment to nature through community involvement, art, and writing, and urging state agencies to encourage participation in the Orion Society's forgotten language tour.

Your Committee finds that, as no one testified in support to this measure, it should be used as a vehicle to facilitate solutions to a more pressing public need: budgeting, financing, and construction of new Department of Education facilities.

Your Committee has amended the measure by replacing its contents with the contents of the proposed draft of S.C.R. No. 131, S.D. 1, which requests the development by the Department of Education of a comprehensive five year plan regarding urgently needed new school construction and renovation projects by school educational districts and schools, including a report of potential and innovative alternatives for fast-tracking the completion of these projects.

The measure, as amended, further includes language that details the potential implementation process of an innovative public-private construction financing mechanism for a new elementary school in a particularly fast-growing area, Leeward Oahu, and calls for the prerequisite support of the Department of Education, Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Accounting and General Services, and Department of Land and Natural Resources in this effort.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 113, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 113, S.D. 1.