STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1637

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 392

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 392, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPECIAL EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to provide each special education classroom teacher with up to $1,690 for instructional materials and equipment to support student learning across the State.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Education Caucus, and a few individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of Education provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2052, to promote further discussion.

Should your Committee on Finance deliberate further on this matter, your Committee on Lower & Higher Education respectfully requests that it consider if the maximum allowable amount of $1,690 allocated per special education classroom teacher should be raised to meet the goals outlined by this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Lower & Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 392, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 392, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Lower & Higher Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair