STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3115

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2508

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2508, H.D. 1, 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 appropriate funds for infrastructure costs, rental or lease assistance, and the repair and maintenance of network infrastructure for charter schools.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii State Teachers Association, IMUAlliance, Hawaii Children's Action Network, HawaiiKidsCAN, Charter School Facilities Initiative, Friends of Kona Pacific Public Charter School, Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network, and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that public charter schools receive inadequate funding to support student learning. Public charter schools that lack adequate building facilities are sometimes forced to hold classes outdoors, on covered lanais, or in unstable temporary structures. While the State Public Charter School Commission may request facilities funding in addition to its annual budget request, the amounts received in recent fiscal years have not kept pace with the cost of providing and maintaining high-quality facilities. This measure provides assistance for facilities funding, which has been a long-standing issue for charter schools.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that authorizes the Legislature to make appropriations and bond authorizations to the State Public Charter School Commission each fiscal year for rental or lease of facilities for charter schools; and

(2) 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 H.B. No. 2508, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2508, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair