STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1034-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2956

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2956, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure the availability of funds for and effective management of public school facilities, which in turn, provide Hawaii's students with the optimal environment for learning.

Specifically, this bill:

(1) Appropriates funds for Department of Education (DOE) operations and facility repair and maintenance;

(2) Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for DOE capital improvement projects;

(3) Establishes and appropriates funds for the New School Construction Special Fund from which lease back payments can be made, provided that schools constructed with these moneys meet energy-efficient design standards; and

(4) Authorizes DOE to use certificates of participation to finance the construction of new schools.

The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, 2005 Secondary Student Conference, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill. DOE supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Budget and Finance opposed this bill.

Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by replacing its entire contents with the language of H.B. No. 2182 H.D. 1. As amended, this bill:

(1) Appropriates funds for DOE and University of Hawaii (UH) operations and facility repair and maintenance;

(2) Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for DOE capital improvement projects and the repair and maintenance of UH facilities;

(3) Authorizes DOE to use certificates of participation to finance the construction of new schools; and

(4) Establishes and appropriates funds for the New School Construction Special Fund from which lease back payments can be made.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2956, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2956, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

 

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair