STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1155

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 595

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 595, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education's Office of Technology Services for the continued implementation of student information systems, student support systems, additional requirements, and infrastructure enhancements.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Education.

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Education needs to provide data to support students and increase accountability and transparency.  Your Committee further finds that additional funding is necessary to ensure that this objective is accomplished and a comprehensive information technology system is established.  Your Committee determines that funding in the amounts of $6,328,946 for fiscal year 2007-2008 and $5,269,974 for fiscal year 2008-2009 is necessary and proper for the provision of information technology services for public schools in the State.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that funds are being appropriated for:

     (1)  An integrated comprehensive student support system, including the special education database;

     (2)  Continued implementation and enhancements to the centralized student information system;

     (3)  Improvements to the financial management system; and

     (4)  The enhancement of the associated network support services, including the establishment of a service center to provide specialized information technology services as requested by schools on a reimbursable basis and that these funds be separately identified.

     Your Committee also amended the measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

     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 H.B. No. 595, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 595, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair