Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2793 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to support the Department of Education's (DOE) website operations.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the DOE, the Board of Education, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and the Hawaii Business Roundtable.

Your Committee finds that the DOE's website is a valuable tool for parents, educators, policy makers, employees, and the public. The website's audience continues to expand, and the ability to provide information on the website must grow as well. Your Committee further finds that, pursuant to Act 221, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, the legislature articulated the importance of a data-driven system to support educational achievement, which hinges on online accessibility of information. Although no funding has previously been allocated to maintain and support the DOE's website, your Committee believes that the growing demand for information, coupled with the growing demand for access to online data and other information, necessitates the appropriation of funds to support, maintain, and upgrade the website.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2793 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.