STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1192

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 18

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 18 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to assist the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board (HTSB) to expedite its ability to perform its duties by confirming its general rule making authority and clarifying and authorizing other powers.  Specifically, under this bill HTSB may:

(1)  Not suspend its policies and standards;

(2)  Temporarily suspend its rules after determining that extenuating circumstances exist; provided that suspension procedures are established and when determining to suspend its rules, the suspension period is established; and

(3)  Amend licensing-related fees and set or amend other charges related to the performance of its duties.

The University of Hawaii supported this bill.  The Department of Education supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2112, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 18, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 18, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair