STAND. COM. REP. NO.  237

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1376

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1376 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to revitalize school facilities statewide and to more effectively and efficiently use our taxpayers' investment in public education.

 

     Specifically, this bill provides for the timely construction, expansion, consolidation, or closure of public schools in Hawaii through an objective and transparent process that:

 

     (1)  Includes the establishment of a Facilities Alignment Commission (FAC); and

 

     (2)  Directs the Board of Education to proceed with the process of constructing, expanding, consolidating, or closing schools according to the recommendations of the FAC, if the Legislature does not disapprove of the recommendations in their entirety.

 

     The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Developers' Council, and Building Industry Association of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Education offered comments.


 

     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 H.B. No. 1376 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair