STAND. COM. REP. NO.  312-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2453

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2453 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help strengthen public education in Hawaii by appropriating $200,000 for start-up grants for new pre-opening public charter schools that will meet the priority needs identified by the State Public Charter School Commission in its request for proposals for new schools.

The State Public Charter School Commission, Kamehameha Schools, and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  A concerned individual supported the measure with amendments.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association and IMUAlliance opposed the measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation amount to an unspecified sum to facilitate further discussion;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 H.B. No. 2453, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2453, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair