STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1544-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2517

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2517, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a funding source for public charter school facilities by:

     (1)  Authorizing the State Public Charter School Commission (Commission) to request the issuance of general obligation bonds to fund the design, planning, construction, repair, and maintenance of charter school facilities;

     (2)  Establishing the Charter School Facilities Funding Working Group; and

     (3)  Authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriating funds to the Commission to assist public charter schools with the design, planning, construction, repair, and maintenance of charter school facilities.

The Commission, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network, Hookakoo Corporation, Hawaiian Educational Council, and a few individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 2517, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2517, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair