STAND. COM. REP. NO.  324

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 831

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 831 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide for an orderly process in the event that closure of a charter school becomes necessary by:

(1)  Providing that a charter school's charter shall be deemed to be voluntarily surrendered in the event of financial insolvency;

(2)  Authorizing school closure as an available action to address serious health and safety concerns at a charter school; and

(3)  Granting the authorizer sole discretion to determine whether to keep a charter school closed due to insolvency or health and safety reasons open for a set period of time as part of closure protocols.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association testified in support.  The State Public Charter School Commission testified in support of this measure and proposed amendments.  One concerned individual testified in opposition.  One concerned individual provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the word "voluntarily" from language relating to the surrender of the school's charter for insolvency.

     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. 831, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 831, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair