STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1228-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2164

      S.D. 3

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2164, S.D. 3, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure the long-term viability of charter schools by providing for an alternative means of funding charter school facilities.  Specifically, this bill creates and appropriates moneys into the Hawaii Charter School Facilities Fund, into which can be deposited both public and private funds.  Funds will be used for grants, loans, or contracts  to charter schools, nonprofit corporations that benefit charter schools, or contracts with private vendors for the repair, maintenance, acquisition, predevelopment, rehabilitation, construction, or other capital improvement projects of charter school facilities.

 

     The Charter School Review Panel (Panel) and Office of Hawaiian Affairs testified in support of this bill.  Kamehameha Schools supported the intent of this measure.  The Na Lei Naauao Native Hawaiian Charter School Alliance and Hawaii Charter School Network supported this bill with amendments.  The Department of the Attorney General and Department of Budget and Finance offered comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that there are 23 start-up charter schools currently operating;

 

     (2)  Specifying that the executive director of the Charter School Administrative Office (CSAO) is to serve on the Hawaii Charter School Facilities Fund Advisory Board (Advisory Board) as an ex-officio non-voting member;

 

     (3)  Requiring the Panel, rather than CSAO, to appoint one member of the Advisory Board;

 

     (4)  Requiring the Advisory Board, rather than CSAO, to establish criteria to be used in reviewing grant and loan proposals;

 

     (5)  Deleting the specification that CSAO be held accountable for the use of funds provided to organizations or agencies through grants or contracts; and

 

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for 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 S.B. No. 2164, S.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2164, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair