STAND. COM. REP. NO. 937

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 867

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 867, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to conduct a feasibility study on converting hard cover textbooks to electronic books, called e-books, for use in public schools.

     The Department of Education submitted comments on the bill.

     Your Committee finds that textbook shortages continue to be an issue for many Hawaii public schools.  Providing updated textbooks to each student in the public school system would be prohibitively expensive.

     Your Committee further finds that e-books used in public school classrooms may relieve this shortage at a much lower cost, provide a learning experience more tailored to the individual needs of students, and permit teachers to work more effectively with a wide range of students.  However, since a switch from textbook to e-book is a substantial change, it is necessary to obtain sufficient information regarding this switch and its consequences.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 867, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair