STAND. COM. REP. NO. 652

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1382

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1382, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to examine and ensure state compliance with the requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, and examine the possibility of licensing teachers and principals by establishing the Federal Higher Education Compliance and Educational Personnel Licensure and Certification Task Force.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from Charlotte A. Carter-Yamauchi, Acting Director, Legislative Reference Bureau; and Linda K. Johnsrud, Executive Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the State must comply with the requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, to ensure receipt of federal funding.  Your Committee further finds that Hawaii is the only state that does not license principals, and audits have noted that the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, which licenses teachers, needs to improve its operations.  This measure would address those issues.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Correcting the name of the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Program;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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. 1382, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1382, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair