STAND. COM. REP. NO. 443

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 981

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 981 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TEACHER STANDARDS BOARD SPECIAL FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board special fund and transfer the remaining balance to the general fund.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Education. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board special fund is used to pay for the expenses of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, including operational and personnel costs and reimbursements to Board members for travel expenses. Due to limited resources in the special fund, the Board has been forced to downsize its office space and reduce its staff, limiting the scope of services and support to Hawaii teachers, school counselors, and school librarians. Funding the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board through the general fund will allow the Board to continue to fully support teacher licensing, educator preparation programs, and professional development.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the date when all unencumbered balances remaining in the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board special fund shall lapse to the general fund from June 30, 2019, to June 30, 2021; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2021.

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. 981, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 981, 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