STAND. COM. REP. NO. 150

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 41
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education and Technology, to which was
referred S.B. No. 41 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal the sunset date for
the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, thereby making the Board
permanent like other licensing agencies.  This measure also
provides for staggered terms for new members.

     Testimony is support of this measure was submitted by the
Department of Education, the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, the
Hawaii State Teachers Association, the Hawaii Congress of
Parents, Teachers, and Students, and the Hawaii Business
Roundtable.

     Your Committee agrees with the testifiers that the Hawaii
Teacher Standards Board, in ensuring that qualified teachers are
employed to educate Hawaii's students, is essential to the
improvement of our public school system.  In addition, your
Committee further believes that staggered terms for the members
are critical to ensure continuity and stability.  Furthermore,
new members will gain invaluable knowledge regarding licensure by
tapping into the expertise of the veteran members.  

     While your Committee finds the Hawaii Teacher Standards
Board to be a valuable aspect of our educational system, your
Committee has amended this measure to extend the sunset date for

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 150
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ten years, until June 30, 2010, instead of repealing the sunset
date altogether.  Your Committee makes this amendment solely for
the purpose of requiring a review of the Hawaii Teacher Standards
Board.  Your Committee believes that this amendment will ensure
accountability of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board and allow
the Legislature to continue to track closely the positive effects
quality teachers have on improving Hawaii's educational system.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education and Technology that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 41, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 41,
S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 
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