Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 281, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide the Department of Education with control over the prioritization of school repair and maintenance projects that are to be implemented by the Department of Accounting and General Services.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Education, the Department of Accounting and General Services, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

Your Committee finds that the repair and maintenance of school facilities program is currently operated under a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS), under which DAGS serves as the expending agency and overall project manager and controls the implementation of all school-related repair and maintenance activities. Your Committee finds that, to maximize the use of scarce taxpayer dollars, the DOE should be provided with the authority to oversee repair and maintenance moneys and to hold DAGS accountable for effectively and responsibly performing these duties.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting new language. As amended, this measure requires DOE and DAGS to compile specified data and submit reports regarding school repair and maintenance projects.

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. 281, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 281, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.