STAND. COM. REP. NO. 105

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1669

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1669 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to fund Department of Education repair and maintenance projects.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state agency.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the backlog of repair and maintenance at Department of Education schools and other facilities has not been adequately addressed and that, in many cases, this has a detrimental effect on student learning.  Your Committee further finds that while the State's economic stimulus plan includes nearly $318,000,000 for public school and library projects previously approved by the Legislature, much more is needed.  Addressing the repair and maintenance backlog will require additional funding sources and greater flexibility in expending those funds.

     Your Committee has amended this measure accordingly, by:

     (1)  Designating the bond authorization sections of the measure as part I;

     (2)  Extending the lapse date on the moneys appropriated in fiscal year 2011-2012 to June 30, 2014; and

     (3)  Adding a new part II, to provide a temporary procurement exemption from chapters 103 and 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to the Department of Education in order to expedite repair and maintenance capital improvement projects.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1669, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1669, 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 and Housing,

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair