Report Title:

BOE; Annual Salaries; Membership; Autonomy

Description:

Requires board of education members to serve full-time and establishes a salary commission to oversee the salaries of the board members.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

640

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

Relating to the board of education.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the enactment of the Reinventing Education Act in the 2004 regular session and other education reform measures represent a positive first step towards improving test scores, teacher retention, and the overall quality of education. While there are many issues to be addressed, the legislature believes that providing the department of education with greater autonomy will lead to an improved system of accountability and quality of service. Establishing the department of education as a political subdivision will free the department from impediments that sometimes lead to delays in much needed improvements to the public educational system.

The constitutional amendments contained in S.B. No.    will grant the department of education the autonomy it requires to effectively oversee the educational needs of the State's students and teachers. With this measure, the board of education will be empowered to head the department of education as a political subdivision in a manner similar to other political subdivisions of the State.

It is the intent of the legislature to provide the members of the board of education with proper compensation for their efforts in running the department of education. Accordingly, the purpose of the Act is to provide salaries for board of education members and require them to serve full-time.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-   Salary commission; established. (a) There is established a salary commission for the members of the board of education. The salary commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the governor on or before August 31, 2007, and every four years thereafter. The members of the salary commission shall be selected from nominations submitted by the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives. The members shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses while in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities.

(b) Before the twentieth legislative day of the regular session of 2008 and every four years thereafter, the salary commission shall study and make recommendations for the salary of the members of the board of education, and then shall be dissolved. The recommended salary shall be effective as of the date of the recommendations unless the legislature disapproves the recommendation by adoption of a concurrent resolution prior to adjournment sine die of the legislative session in which the recommendation is submitted."

SECTION 3. Section 302A-1105, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§302A-1105 [Compensation;] Salaries; benefit; expenses. Board of education members [shall be allowed]:

[(1) Compensation at the rate of $100 per day for each day's actual attendance at meetings;]

(1) Shall receive an annual salary which shall be paid in equal amounts, beginning with the first pay period for state employees in November of the year the member of the board is elected;

(2) [Transportation] Shall be allowed transportation fares between islands and abroad; [and]

(3) [Personal] Shall be allowed personal expenses at the rates specified by the board while attending board meetings or while on official business as authorized by the chairperson, when the board meetings or official business require a board member to leave the island upon which the board member resides[.]; and

(4) Shall be allowed a protocol allowance to cover expenses incurred in the course of a member's duties and responsibilities."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act, upon its approval, shall take effect upon the ratification of a constitutional amendment that makes the department of education a political subdivision headed by the board of education.

INTRODUCED BY:

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