STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2719

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2797

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2797 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the creation of new public charter schools.

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Appropriates funds for start-up grants to assist one or more newly approved charter schools that meet the priority needs identified by the State Public Charter School Commission; and

(2)  Requires the State Public Charter School Commission to establish grant criteria and guidelines for the use of the appropriated funds.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission and Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network.

     Your Committee finds that some public schools have reached full capacity or are expected to reach full capacity in the near future.  Your Committee further finds that the State Charter School Commission has encouraged applications to create new public charter schools in areas that would alleviate overcrowded public schools.  Your Committee believes that providing funding to assist in the establishment of these new public charter schools, as determined by the Public Charter School Commission, will help to alleviate overcrowded public schools more expeditiously than constructing new Department of Education schools.

     It is the intention of your Committee that this measure not be construed as limiting the State Public Charter School Commission to providing start-up funding to only one prospective school.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the amount appropriated from $200,000 to an unspecified sum; and

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2797, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2797, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair