STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1580

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 244

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 244, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to further refine Hawaii's nascent charter school law by, among other things:

     (1)  Requiring charter schools to complete an annual independent financial audit;

     (2)  Requiring the State Public Charter School Commission (Commission) to develop procedures to obtain any potential criminal history of individuals who are employed or seeking employment in positions that place them in close proximity to children;

     (3)  Specifying additional enrollment criteria for students at public charter schools, including criteria for enrollment preferences;

     (4)  Authorizing the Commission to request facilities funding for charter schools as part of its annual budget request;

     (5)  Amending the definition of "employee" under Hawaii's Standards of Conduct Law to include any person under an employment contract to serve as chief executive officer, chief administrative officer, executive director, or designated head of a charter school;

     (6)  Requiring Commission members to disclose specified conflicts of interest and to be disqualified from voting on or participating in discussions regarding charter schools with which they have a conflict of interest; and

     (7)  Making various housekeeping amendments to the charter school law.  

The State Public Charter School Commission, Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network, Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo Charter School, National Association of Charter School Authorizers, Hawaii Technology Academy, and numerous individuals supported this measure.  The Hawaii State Ethics Commission, The School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability, Dine College, Hale Kuamoo Hawaiian Language Center, and numerous concerned individuals offered comments on this measure.  

     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 S.B. No. 244, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair