Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 972 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Board and Department of Education to acquire all lands and facilities being utilized for public schools.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Education and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii. The Department of Budget and Finance and three individuals submitted testimony in opposition.

Your Committees find merit in transferring the authority over public lands used for public school facilities to the Department of Education. As the State struggles with its financial budget, so does each of its agencies including the Department of Education. Granting authority to the department to determine the most productive use of public lands and facilities for public schools may be a viable option.

Upon further consideration, your Committees have amended this measure by replacing its provisions with language directing the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study on the transfer of all lands and facilities used for public school purposes to the Department of Education.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Military Affairs and Water, Land, and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 972, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 972, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.