STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2796

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3070

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3070, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage students to pursue teaching degrees in needed areas.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Establishes a Hawaii teacher stipend program, to be administered by the Department of Education, to address the shortfall of licensed teachers in the Department's schools, especially in identified shortage areas; and

(2) Appropriates moneys for the program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education; University of Hawaii System; HSTA; HE‘E Coalition; IMUAlliance; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee recognizes that for the last several years, Hawaii has faced a shortage of teachers in the Hawaii public school system, particularly in select fields of teaching. Your Committee also recognizes that a teacher stipend program may encourage qualified students to pursue teaching degrees and later help fill these critical positions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation for the establishment and implementation of the Hawaii teacher stipend program from $600,000 to an unspecified sum;

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

(3) Making a technical nonsubstantive change for the purpose of consistency.

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. 3070, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3070, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair