Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2645, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to exempt retired Department of Education (DOE) teachers who hold a valid teaching license from any prerequisite coursework that DOE requires of other substitute teachers.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill. DOE opposed the measure.

Your Committee finds that there is a shortage of qualified substitute teachers that could be addressed by the hiring of retired teachers who are experienced, knowledgeable, and well-equipped for the demands of substitute teaching. However, your Committee also shares the concerns of DOE that highly qualified teachers need to be placed in the classroom. Noting that the educational system is a dynamic one that changes constantly with the times, your Committee understands the present policy of DOE that requires retired teachers to receive prerequisite coursework in substitute teaching after being retired for five or more years.

Although your Committee has concerns with this measure, the importance of the education of our youth warrants that this attempt to address the shortage of qualified substitute teachers be discussed further. Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2645, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2645, H.D. 2.