STAND. COM. REP. NO.  696-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2524

      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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2524, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHER INCENTIVES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure a fair allocation of funds meant to benefit students who attend public schools established and maintained by the Department of Education and students who attend public charter schools by:

     (1)  Mandating that incentive bonuses and other compensation required by law or collective bargaining beyond regular wages shall not be paid from the charter school's facilities funding or per-pupil funds; and

     (2)  Appropriating funds to pay for teacher bonuses for hard-to-fill placement incentives and Teacher National Board Certification Incentive Program bonuses for public charter school teachers.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the State Public Charter School Commission, the Hawaii Public Charter School Network, Aha Punana Leo, Kamehameha Schools, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and four individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance testified in opposition.  Kanu O Ka Aina New Century Public Charter School provided comments.

     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 H.B. No. 2524, 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