STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2029

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2189

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2189 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to remove the governor's power to appoint the chairperson of the Board of Education and instead authorize a majority of the members of the Board of Education to elect a chairperson of the board from among their own members.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that existing law requires the Governor to select the chairperson of the Board of Education, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. This method of selecting a chair in inconsistent with the practice of most boards in the State. Your Committee additionally finds that this selection process leads to delays and undue interruptions in the normal operation of the Board of Education.

Accordingly, your Committee finds that empowering the Board of Education to elect its chairperson from among its own members is consistent with the practice of most boards within the State, and will streamline the process for selecting a chairperson and promote the efficient functioning of the Board of Education.

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. 2189 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair