Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1660, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to create the education design and construction project assessment fund within the Department of Education and broaden the department's authority over capital improvement projects.

Your Committee on Conference finds that management over the Department of Education's facilities repair, maintenance, and construction projects has been generally divided between the Department of Accounting and General Services and the Department of Education. Consequently, Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, required the transfer of functions regarding the maintenance of school facilities from the Department of Accounting and General Services to the Department of Education. In transferring management to the Department of Education, your Committee on Conference believes that the improved coordination will reduce the backlog of public school facilities projects. Furthermore, the establishment of the fund will allow the superintendent to make assessments on construction projects.

Accordingly, the following amendments were made:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1660, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1660, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.