STAND. COM. REP. NO. 847

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 329

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 329, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SCHOOL FACILITIES AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Clarify that the School Facilities Authority is responsible for projects related to:

(A) Certain facilities for prekindergarten, preschool, child care, and early learning programs;

(B) Workforce housing for educators and other education workers; and

(C) Any public school development, planning, and construction assigned by the Legislature, Governor, or Board of Education;

(2) Allow the School Facilities Authority to use the Department of Education for certain recruitment and hiring responsibilities; and

(3) Allow the School Facilities Authority to partner with public and private development agencies to develop prekindergarten facilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the School Facilities Authority; EPD Corp.; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education; Department of the Attorney General; and Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!.

Your Committee notes the concerns from the Department of the Attorney General in its written testimony regarding:

(1) The Department of Education's lack of jurisdiction over child care and early learning programs that are not on public school campuses;

(2) Whether the School Facilities Authority is responsible for the repair and maintenance of prekindergarten and preschool programs on Department of Education or public charter school campuses; and

(3) Whether workforce housing for educators and other education workers must be on public school property to qualify as a public school project.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 329, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair