CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 241

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 961

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 961, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a two-year pilot program for certified librarians to provide rotating support services to schools in one school complex on Oahu and one school complex on a neighbor island, to be determined by the Department of Education; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the positions.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $132,308 for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) twelve-month state office-level teacher positions under the Department of Education for the pilot program, to be allocated as follows:

(A) $66,154 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) twelve-month state office-level teacher position, to be filled by a certified librarian, for a school complex on Oahu; and

(B) $66,154 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) twelve-month state office-level teacher position, to be filled by a certified librarian, for a school complex on a neighbor island;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2025; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 961, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 961, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Chair	____________________________ TRISH LA CHICA Co-Chair
____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM Co-Chair	____________________________ JENNA TAKENOUCHI Co-Chair