STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2308

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2331

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2331 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Define the term "license" to clarify that teacher licenses are issued by the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board;

     (2)  Repeal the authority of employers or prospective employers to refuse to issue a teaching or other educational certificate or revoke a teaching or other educational certificate from certain persons under certain conditions;

     (3)  Make clarifying amendments to the membership requirements of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board;

     (4)  Clarify that charter schools fall under the purview of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board; and

     (5)  Make housekeeping and other conforming amendments related to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission.

     Your Committee finds that this measure clarifies the membership of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to make it clear that all interested constituent groups may submit nominations for the Governor's consideration.  This will help ensure representation from diverse groups in Hawaii's educational system, diverse populations, and various geographic areas.

     Your Committee further finds that this measure clearly articulates and reinforces that charter schools fall under the purview of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board.  However, as this measure moves forward, your Committee notes that clarification may be needed on the roles and responsibilities of the State Public Charter School Commission and the individual charter schools as they relate to teachers.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding language to clarify that an employer or respective employer may refuse to issue and may revoke a certificate for school administrators under certain conditions; and

     (2)  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 Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2331, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2331, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

____________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair