STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2208

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 78

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 78, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure as it was received by your Committee is to require the Department of Education (DOE) to contract with a third-party consultant to perform a study on the adequacy of education funding in Hawaii.

Your Committee prepared a proposed S.B. No. 78, H.D. 2 (Proposed Draft), posted notice of the hearing on the Proposed Draft, made the Proposed Draft available, and took testimony on the Proposed Draft.

The Proposed Draft:

(1) Requires the DOE to contract with a third-party consultant to perform a study on the adequacy of education funding in Hawaii;

(2) Establishes the EOEL as the administrative authority for state-funded prekindergarten programs, except for special education and Title I-funded prekindergarten programs;

(3) Requires the DOE to adhere to certain quality standards and work with the EOEL in its implementation of Title I-funded prekindergarten classrooms;

(4) Defines the roles and responsibilities of EOEL and DOE as they relate to the EOEL public prekindergarten program;

(5) Requires the DOE, charter school authorizer, and EOEL to submit reports to the Legislature on the respective public prekindergarten classes operated by each entity;

(6) Appropriates funds for the eighteen existing prekindergarten classrooms in public charter schools; and

(7) Changes the measure's effective date to July 1, 2019.

The Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL), State Public Charter School Commission, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Parents And Children Together, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Kualapu‘u Public Conversion Charter School, Aloha United Way, Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Head Start Association of Hawaii, and several individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure. Two individuals submitted testimony in opposition to this measure. The Department of the Attorney General, DOE, Early Learning Board, and Kamehameha Schools submitted comments on this measure.

After careful consideration, your Committee has adopted the Proposed Draft and made further amendments:

(1) Deleting the study on the adequacy of education funding;

(2) Deleting the requirement that the charter school authorizer submit reports to the Legislature;

(3) Authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds, appropriating funds, and establishing positions for EOEL;

(4) Appropriating funds to be expended by the DOE;

(5) Replacing the severability clause with a non-severability clause; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 78, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 78, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair