STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2138

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3094

S.D. 1

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. 3094 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR A VIRTUAL SCHOOL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Provide an emergency appropriation for a Department of Education virtual school; and

(2) Authorize the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds for the purposes of renovations and electrical upgrades for a virtual school for the Department of Education.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted all corners of the State, including education, where teachers and students had to rapidly shift to remote learning. The COVID-19 pandemic required teachers to pivot to be able to provide curriculum, content, and enrichment through a variety of means, including online videos, assignments, tutorials, and virtual meetings. The pandemic also required the Department of Education to develop remote learning capabilities with unprecedented swiftness.

Your Committee further finds the herculean effort of educators and the Department of Education allowed for education to continue through the end of the 2020 school year and beyond, without jeopardizing the health and safety of students and staff. Your Committee finds, however, that additional support is needed to maintain and improve on the gains made with respect to remote learning.

Accordingly, this measure provides vital funding to establish and operate a virtual school within the Department of Education to ensure the continued success and refinement of the provision of remote learning services, and authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for necessary and related renovations and electrical upgrades.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 3094, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3094, 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