Requires board of education members to serve full-time and establishes a salary commission to recommend the salaries of the board members. Effective 7/1/2095 and upon ratification of constitutional amendment making the DOE a political subdivision. (SD2)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the enactment of the Reinventing Education Act in the 2004 regular session and other education reform measures represent a positive first step towards improving test scores, teacher retention, and the overall quality of education. While there are many issues to be addressed, the legislature believes that providing the department of education with greater autonomy will lead to an improved system of accountability and quality of service. Establishing the department of education as a political subdivision will free the department from impediments that sometimes lead to delays in much needed improvements to the public educational system.

The constitutional amendments contained in S.B. No.    will grant the department of education the autonomy it requires to effectively oversee the educational needs of the State's students and teachers. With that measure, the board of education will be empowered to head the department of education as a political subdivision in a manner similar to other political subdivisions of the State.

It is the intent of the legislature to provide the members of the board of education with proper compensation for their efforts in running the department of education. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to provide salaries for board of education members and require them to serve on a full-time basis.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-   Salary commission; established. (a) There is established a salary commission for the members of the board of education. The salary commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the governor on or before August 31, 2007, and every four years thereafter. The members of the salary commission shall be selected from nominations submitted by the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives. The members shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities.

(b) Before the twentieth legislative day of the regular session of 2008 and every four years thereafter, the salary commission shall study and make recommendations to the legislature for the salary of the members of the board of education. The salary commission shall be dissolved on June 30, 2008, and on June 30 every four years thereafter in which it submits recommendations to the legislature. The recommended salary shall be effective as of the date of the recommendation, unless the legislature disapproves the recommendation by adoption of a concurrent resolution prior to adjournment sine die of the legislative session in which the recommendation is submitted."

SECTION 3. Section 302A-1101, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) There shall be a principal executive department to be known as the department of education, which shall be headed by an elected policy-making board to be known as the board of education. Members of the board shall serve on a full-time basis. The board shall have power in accordance with law to formulate statewide educational policy, adopt student performance standards and assessment models, monitor school success, and [to] appoint the superintendent of education as the chief executive officer of the public school system."

SECTION 4. Section 302A-1105, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§302A-1105 [Compensation;] Salaries; expenses[.]; allowances. Board of education members shall [be allowed]:

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act, upon its approval, shall take effect on July 1, 2095, and upon the ratification of a constitutional amendment that makes the department of education a political subdivision headed by the board of education.