STAND. COM. REP. NO. 281

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 84

       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. 84 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish salaries for members of the Board of Education and appropriate funds therefor.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Board of Education.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committee finds that the members of the Board of Education provide a valuable public service to the people of Hawaii, and, over the years, their duties and responsibilities have become more extensive, including increased jurisdiction such as responsibilities relating to the public charter schools.  Your Committee further finds that the provision of appropriate compensation is a necessity for these hard-working individuals.  However, your Committee determines that their positions do not necessarily require the provision of a salary, as would be warranted for a full-time employee of the State.  Therefore, your Committee believes that an increase in the current compensation rate is a suitable approach to addressing the issue at this time.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing language that provides an annual salary and related benefits to members of the Board of Education; and

     (2)  Increasing the current rate of compensation for members of the Board of Education from the current $100 per day to $120 per day for each day's actual attendance at meetings.

     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. 84, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 84, 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