STAND. COM. REP. NO.  909-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2972

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2972, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to promote more efficient use of taxpayer investment in public education and provide for the timely construction, expansion, consolidation, or closure of public schools in Hawaii through an objective and transparent process that:

     (1)  Includes the establishment of a Facilities Alignment Commission (Commission) that will:

          (A)  Establish criteria for the selection of public schools to be constructed, expanded, consolidated, or closed; and

          (B)  Recommend a list of areas for new school construction, and of schools for expansion, consolidation, or closure, subject to the review of the Legislature;

          and

     (2)  Directs the Board of Education to proceed with the process of constructing, expanding, consolidating, or closing underused schools according to the recommendations of the Commission, if the Legislature does not disapprove of the recommendations in their entirety.

     The Department of Budget and Finance supported this bill.  The Department of Education and Building Industry Association of Hawaii submitted comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2972, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair