STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1386

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 46

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 46, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO EVALUATE THE LICENSING OF PRIVATE TRADE, VOCATIONAL, AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Education and Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to:

 

     (1)  Convene a working group to evaluate the licensing of private trade, vocational, and technical schools in the State and consider alternative licensing program structures or models that are in the best interest of private trade, vocation, and technical schools and for students in the State; and

 

     (2)  Submit a report of the working group's findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2016.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Education is not properly equipped to effectively administer the licensure of private trade, vocational, and technical schools.  Your Committee further finds that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has experience in the licensure of professions and businesses and may be better equipped to oversee the administration of licensure for private trade, vocational, and technical schools.  This measure improves the licensure process for private trade, vocational, and technical schools in Hawaii by requesting the Department of Education and Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to convene a working group to evaluate the licensing of these schools, consider alternative licensing structures or models, and ensure licensure procedures adequately protect consumers and ensure adequate educational quality at private trade, vocational, and technical schools.

 

     Your Committee notes that restructuring of the private trade, vocational, and technical schools licensure program, including potential alternative licensing program structures that differ from the Department of Education's long-standing licensing fee structures, could have an impact on existing schools and students.  Accordingly, your Committee concludes it is appropriate for the working group to examine any potential impacts on these schools and students that may result from a change in fees or related licensing costs.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the Department of Education and Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs are requested to convene a working group in collaboration with existing licensed private trade, vocational, and technical schools in the State; and

 

     (2)  Requesting the working group to examine potential impacts to private trade, vocational, and technical schools and their students resulting from changes in fees or related licensing costs associated with a new licensing system.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 46, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 46, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

 

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair