STAND. COM. REP. NO. 16

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 615

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 615 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide the Board of Education (Board) with insight into the real-world effects of current and proposed educational practices and policies by requiring the Board to invite the exclusive representative for Bargaining Unit 5 to appoint a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association, Education Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and a few individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure. The League of Women Voters submitted testimony in opposition to this measure. The Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board provided comments on this measure.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the League of Women Voters that a bargaining unit appointee to the Board of Education may present a conflict of interest and that the change proposed by this measure may require a Constitutional amendment. Your Committee requests that the Committee on Judiciary consider these comments if this measure is granted a hearing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 615, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 615, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Lower & Higher Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair