Changes the requirement from board of education members to "be elected by registered voters of 2 at-large school board districts" to require those members to "be elected by registered voters of the departmental school district where the member resides". In the implementation of a new apportionment plan, requires the chief election officer to designate the representative districts that comprise the departmental school districts only, instead of both the latter and the school board districts described in section 13-1.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that currently, members of the board of education are elected from two broad school districts. Of the thirteen members, seven are elected based upon residency requirements in each of the seven departmental school districts, and six are elected "at-large" for the island of Oahu.

In order to ensure that members are accountable to the voters who elect them, the legislature believes that the members should be elected by voters in each of the candidates' respective departmental school districts where the candidate is a resident, rather than by the school board district as a whole. This will:

The purpose of this Act is to increase community accountability of members of the board of education.

SECTION 2. Section 13-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"(a) The board of education shall consist of thirteen members who shall be elected by the registered voters [of two at-large school board districts as follows:

First school board district: the island of Oahu, comprised of the 11th through the 48th and a portion of the 49th (that portion found on the island of Oahu) representative districts, and the

Second school board district: the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Kauai, and Niihau, comprised of the 1st through the 10th, a portion of the 49th (that portion found on the island of Kauai), and the 50th and 51st representative districts.] in the departmental school district where the member resides. There shall be:

[(b) Ten members shall be elected at-large from the first school board district. Of the ten members elected at-large from that district, one shall be a resident of the third departmental school district (Honolulu), one shall be a resident of the fourth departmental school district (Central Oahu), one shall be a resident of the fifth departmental school district (Leeward Oahu), and one shall be a resident of the sixth departmental school district (Windward Oahu).

(c) Three members shall be elected at-large from the second school board district. Of the three members elected at-large from that district, one shall be a resident of the first departmental school district (Hawaii), one shall be a resident of the second departmental school district (Maui), and one shall be a resident of the seventh departmental school district (Kauai).

(d)] (b) The departmental school districts shall be as follows:

First departmental school district (Hawaii): the island of Hawaii comprised of the 1st through the 5th and a portion of the 6th (that portion found on the island of Hawaii) representative districts;

Second departmental school district (Maui): the islands of Maui, Molokai (including the county of Kalawao), Lanai, and Kahoolawe comprised of a portion of the 6th (that portion found on the island of Maui) and the 7th through the 10th representative districts;

Third departmental school district (Honolulu): that portion of the island of Oahu comprised of the 21st through the 41st representative districts;

Fourth departmental school district (Central Oahu): that portion of the island of Oahu comprised of the 11th through the 14th and the 45th representative districts;

Fifth departmental school district (Leeward Oahu): that portion of the island of Oahu comprised of the 42nd through the 44th, the 46th through the 48th and a portion of the 49th (that portion found on the island of Oahu) representative districts;

Sixth departmental school district (Windward Oahu): that portion of the island of Oahu comprised of the 15th through the 20th representative districts; and

Seventh departmental school district (Kauai): the islands of Kauai and Niihau comprised of a portion of the 49th (that portion found on the island of Kauai) and the 50th and 51st representative districts."

SECTION 3. Section 13-1.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§13-1.1[]] Reapportionment. Upon the implementation of a new apportionment plan, the chief election officer, by proclamation issued no later than the tenth day prior to the close of filing in elections, shall designate the representative districts that comprise the departmental school districts [and the school board districts] described in section 13-1 to comply with the new districting scheme of such plan; provided that the departmental school districts designated shall cover areas similar to those described in section 13-1."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval and upon ratification of the constitutional amendment authorizing the election of board of education members by departmental school district where the member resides.