STAND. COM. REP. NO 140

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 849

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 849 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 provide funding for public charter schools facilities.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network, Malama Honua Charter School, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and four individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committee finds that operational costs of facilities is one of the greatest challenges facing public charter schools in Hawaii.  Operational funds have proven insufficient to cover all the costs associated with facilities acquisition, repair, and maintenance in addition to operational costs.  Additional funding is needed to help meet the needs of start-up charter schools.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adopting amendments proposed by the Department of the Attorney General to remove:

          (A)  Language authorizing the allocation of general obligation bonds irrespective of whether a specific project or purpose has been provided for in a legislative act; and

          (B)  Language requiring that monies appropriated for capital improvements for facilities for public charter schools be considered expended upon distribution to the State Public Charter School Commission;

     (2)  Clarifying that the charter school facilities working group's role is in an advisory capacity; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 S.B. No. 849, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 849, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair