STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1619

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 56

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.C.R. No. 56 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONVENE A SCHOOL IMPACT FEE REVIEW TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES LAW, INCLUDING ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING LAW, AND MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SCHOOLS TO ACCOMMODATE PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Education to convene a school impact fee review task force to review the school impact fees law, including enforcement of existing law, and make any recommendations to address current and future needs for the development of new schools to accommodate projected population growth.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and Building Industry Association of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that school impact fees ensure that schools are expanded or built to meet the community's needs. Act 245, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, implemented a new method for financing, in part, the construction of new facilities and the expansion of existing Department of Education educational facilities in partnership with developers of new residential developments. However, land use planning, development patterns, and preferences have changed since 2007, and more substantive amendments to the school impact fees law may be necessary.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 56 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair