STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1274

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1932

      S.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1932, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure a clean and safe environment for Hawaii's students by:

     (1)  Appropriating moneys from the general fund and the State Educational Facilities Special Fund to reduce the backlog of repair and maintenance projects for Department of Education (DOE) school facilities;

     (2)  Appropriating general funds and authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds to reduce the backlog of repair and maintenance projects for University of Hawaii facilities; and

     (3)  Requiring DOE to identify suitable unused facilities and prepare them for use by early childhood education programs, and appropriating funds for this purpose.

     The University of Hawaii, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Kamehameha Schools, Good Beginnings Alliance, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  DOE offered comments.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1932, S.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Human Services & Housing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Higher Education,

____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Chair

____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Chair