STAND. COM. REP. NO. 437-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 619

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 619 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the State Auditor to select a number of school complex areas and determine the level of compliance of each complex area with its academic and financial plans and submit to the 2020 Legislature a report of its findings and recommendations.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and the Office of the Auditor.

Your Committee finds that for schools, an academic plan establishes the academic goals for the following school year, and a financial plan serves as a means to determine school staffing requirements. These plans can serve as a benchmark by which complex areas can strive to comply with.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the time for which the State Auditor shall submit its report to the Legislature to twenty days prior to the convening of the 2021 Regular Session; and

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050.

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. 619, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 619, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair