Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 995, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide for a consolidated school textbook list for each school complex.

The bill also provides that, beginning with the 2005-2006 school year, the Department of Education shall charge each student a one-time textbook deposit fee, which will be refunded when they leave the school. The Department is also required to charge a nonrefundable textbook and instructional materials fee of up to $20 per student. Students eligible to receive the free or reduced lunch program are exempt from these fees.

Your Committee finds that many public schools do not have adequate amounts of textbooks, and this lack of textbooks hampers student learning. The consolidated school textbook list will help the State buy books in volume and ensure that each student has a full set of textbooks. The fees charged will help to continue to fund school textbooks.

Your Committee has amended the bill by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 995, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 995, S.D. 2.