STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1367

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 686

      S.D. 1

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 Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 686, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to attract, retain, and reward quality and excellence in educational assistants by appropriating funds to the Department of Education (DOE) to implement and maintain a career ladder program for educational assistants.  This measure also requires the DOE to report to the Legislature on:

(1)  Class levels and other career ladder enhancements;

(2)  The number of individuals affected by a career ladder program; and

(3)  The cost impact of implementing a career ladder program for educational assistants.

The DOE testified in support of this measure.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Labor & Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 686, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________ ALEX M. SONSON, Chair

____________________________ ROY TAKUMI, Chair