CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 172

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2007

RE:    S.B. No. 686

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 686, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to report to the Legislature on various aspects regarding the establishment of a career ladder program for educational assistants and provides necessary funding for the program.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that a career ladder program for educational assistants was contemplated prior to the transfer of education positions and employees, including educational assistants, from the jurisdiction of the Department of Human Resources Development to the Department of Education pursuant to Act 253, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000.  However, to date, the Department of Education has not established a career ladder program, which would provide a salary structure for educational assistants based on specific job requirements such as training, job performance, and years of experience.  Your Committee on Conference believes in the merits of establishing a career ladder program for educational assistants; however, it is concerned with the lack of information currently being provided.  

     This measure requires the Department of Education to report to the Legislature on a career ladder program to be established for educational assistants, including relevant information on the employees affected, and the true costs of implementing a program.  Your Committee on Conference believes that, in the future, the Legislature should consider appropriating an appropriate amount of funds to implement a career ladder program; however, prior to such funding, the Department of Education should present all necessary and relevant information to allow for the implementation of a program, which includes repricing class levels.

     Upon further review, your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Education to report to the Legislature on a career ladder program for educational assistants that includes:

          (A)  Repricing class levels and a career ladder program, and other career ladder enhancements;

          (B)  The number of employees affected by repricing and a career ladder program; and

          (C)  The cost of implementing repricing and a career ladder program for educational assistants;

     (2)  Deleting the appropriation provision; and

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2007.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 686, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 686, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Co-Chair	____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair
____________________________ ALEX M. SONSON, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair
____________________________ MARILYN B. LEE, Co-Chair