STAND. COM. REP. NO. 540

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 618

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 618 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Board of Education to establish a process whereby the public may petition the Board to add items to the agenda of the next meeting.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association, League of Women Voters Hawaii, Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, IMUAlliance, Americans for Democratic Action, and seven individuals.

     Your Committee finds that public access and transparency are vital to the proper functioning of public administrative bodies, including the Board of Education.  Your Committee further finds that, while members of the public are permitted to testify at full meetings of the Board of Education, they are limited to testifying on items that already appear on the meeting's agenda.  Your Committee additionally finds that there is currently no mechanism by which members of the public may add items to Board of Education meeting agendas.  This measure will increase public access to Board of Education meetings by requiring the Board to establish a process whereby the public may petition the Board to add items to the agenda of the next meeting.

     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. 618 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair