STAND. COM. REP. NO. 176

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 686

       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 S.B. No. 686 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for an educational assistants' career ladder program within the Department of Education.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Government Employees Association and one individual.

     Your Committee 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 (DOE) pursuant to Act 253, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000.  However, to date, the DOE 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 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.  The DOE has indicated that implementation of a career ladder program will require funding of $22,000,000.  In the past, significantly lower amounts were anticipated, thus making the true costs unknown.  With fiscal prudence in mind, your Committee is apprehensive about appropriating funds in that magnitude when it is unclear as to the true cost impact.

     Therefore, your Committee believes that the DOE should 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 notes that it will continue to move this measure forward, including a blank appropriation and not the $22,000,000 requested by the DOE.  However, should further information be provided during the session, your Committee believes that the Legislature should consider appropriating an appropriate amount of funds to implement a career ladder program.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by requiring the DOE to submit a report to the Legislature on a career ladder program for educational assistants that includes:

     (1)  Class levels under a career ladder program and other career ladder enhancements;

     (2)  The number of affected employees under a career ladder program; and

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

     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 S.B. No. 686, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 686, 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