STAND. COM. REP. NO.  157

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 372

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 372 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the Auditor to perform an annual operational audit of the academic and financial plans of the Department of Education to be submitted to the Legislature;

 

     (2)  Require the Department of Education to contract with a third party consultant that specializes in school finance to perform a study of the adequacy of education funding in the State to be submitted to the Legislature; and

 

     (3)  Appropriate funds for the audit and the study.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Maui Chamber of Commerce and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Office of the Auditor.

 

     Your Committee finds that there is a greater need for transparency from the Department of Education.  Annual operational audits of the academic and financial plans of the Department of Education will help to identify the financial and management needs of Department schools.  Additionally, a study of the adequacy of education funding in Hawaii will better inform how funding is used to enhance the quality of education for students in the State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050.

 

     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. 372, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 372, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Legislative Management.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair