STAND. COM. REP. NO. 118

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 329

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. 329 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 (Authority) is responsible for certain development, planning, and construction projects for prekindergarten, preschool, and child care facilities, as well as workforce housing;

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

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

(4) Clarify the applicability of the Sunshine Law to the School Facilities Authority Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Early Childhood Action Strategy; and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the School Facilities Authority and Department of Community Services of the City and County of Honolulu. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Public First Law Center. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Department of Education; and Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that the School Facilities Authority is entrusted with responsibilities relating to the development, planning, and construction of public school projects. This measure amends certain statutes governing the School Facilities Authority, thereby allowing the Authority to carry out its responsibilities with greater efficiency and streamlining school development while addressing the critical needs of students, their families, and the education workforce.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have repealed language stating that all other provisions of chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall apply to school facilities authority board workgroups and subcommittee and amending the preamble to reflect this amendment;

(2) Specifying the responsibilities of the School Facilities Authority relating to the development, planning, and construction of new or renovated prekindergarten, preschool, and child care facilities and workforce housing for educators and other education workers in schools serving prekindergarten under chapter 302L, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which relates to the early learning system;

(3) Authorizing the School Facilities Authority to develop workforce housing for teachers on land not owned by the Department of Education;

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

(5) 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. 329, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 329, 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