Report Title:

DOE; Repairs and Maintenance; Hawaii 3R's

Description:

Appropriates funds for the Hawaii 3R's school repair and maintenance fund and the Hawaii 3R's coordinator position. (SD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1389

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to schools.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the backlog of repair and maintenance projects in public schools continues to be of concern and that all means of addressing the problem should be explored and supported. The Hawaii 3R's school repair and maintenance fund (Hawaii 3R's) has saved the State money by completing repair and maintenance projects at public schools that would have ordinarily been done exclusively with state funds and resources. Hawaii 3R's generates savings for the State by leveraging state grant funds with federal funds, private donations, and volunteerism or "sweat equity" from various community organizations and businesses.

From August 2001 to November 2004, Hawaii 3R's awarded one hundred twenty grants to eighty-two different schools. These schools, located statewide, included every district on Oahu (Honolulu, Central, Leeward, and Windward) and on Maui, Molokai, Kauai, and Hawaii. Hawaii 3R's awarded $3,425,542 in grants and of these grants $875,517 was funded in state funds and $2,550,025 with federal funds.

A total of $1,148,668 in state general fund grant-in-aid appropriations has been deposited with Hawaii 3R's. (Act 309 of the Regular Session of 2001 appropriated $500,000 per year for fiscal years 2002 and 2003. Act 214 of the Regular Session of 2003 appropriated $148,688 for fiscal year 2004. Act 41 of the Regular Session of 2004 appropriated $400,000.)

The legislature further finds that the public-private partnership between the State and Hawaii 3R's is effective and essential to the success of the program. Specifically, the legislature finds that the Hawaii 3R's coordinator position provides the program with expertise, support, quick response, and access to state resources and information. The coordinator position also adds visibility and positive coverage to the efforts of the State.

The legislature acknowledges that Hawaii 3R's also has built a partnership with the military's Joint Venture Education Forum. This relationship benefits not only military-impacted schools but all of Hawaii's public schools through increased military partnerships. Through Joint Venture Education Forum's federal funding, Hawaii 3R's can provide grants to over one hundred military-impacted schools.

The legislature also finds that in the past federal fiscal year, Hawaii 3R's, through the department of education, has been awarded $1,000,000 through the Native Hawaiian Education Act. Native Hawaiian Education Act moneys will be used to fund grants for schools with a Native Hawaii population of more than twenty-five per cent of total student population. These funds must be passed from the federal Department of Education through the state department of education to Hawaii 3R's.

The legislature is encouraged by the level of support that the community has given to Hawaii 3R's and, more importantly, the public schools. Skilled and unskilled volunteer labor from the military, civic clubs, churches, teachers, parents, and students, combined with donations from community restaurants and businesses, have made Hawaii 3R's successful. Furthermore, trade unions and associations have been lending invaluable support. Hawaii 3R's, with the assistance of the department of accounting and general services and the community, has created a truly successful public-private partnership.

The legislature understands that it is necessary to maintain the current level of state funding to reach the almost one hundred public schools that cannot receive grants through Joint Venture Education Forum or Native Hawaiian Education Act funding. Finally, the legislature finds that appropriating public funds to Hawaii 3R's serves the public purpose of expediting the repair and maintenance of Hawaii's public schools.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the Hawaii 3R's school repair and maintenance fund and to the department of education for funding the Hawaii 3R's coordinator position.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the Hawaii 3R's school repair and maintenance fund.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, to provide for the Hawaii 3R's coordinator position.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. It is the intent of this Act not to jeopardize the receipt of any federal aid nor to impair the obligation of the State or any agency thereof to the holders of any bond issued by the State or by any such agency, and to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to effectuate this intent, the governor may modify the strict provisions of this Act, but shall promptly report any such modification with reasons therefore to the legislature at its next session thereafter for review by the legislature.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.