STAND. COM. REP. NO. 561

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 901

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 901 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize public charter schools to appeal directly to the Board of Education on matters that materially affect the school's operation, governance, or funding.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Waiʻalae Elementary Public Charter School; Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network; Hawaii Academy of Arts & Science Public Charter School; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Board of Education; and State Public Charter School Commission.

Your Committee finds that this measure creates a vital avenue of recourse for charter schools faced with adverse actions or decisions made by charter school authorizers that impact their operations.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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 H.B. No. 901, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 901, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair