STAND. COM. REP. NO. 944

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 970

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 970 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPUTER SCIENCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education to establish a program with eligible entities to develop and implement teacher professional development for computer science courses and content.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association and Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Department of Education.

Your Committee recognizes the importance of increasing equity and access to computer science programs for students statewide. Your Committee finds that, to achieve this, teachers must be offered high quality computer science professional development.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation from an unspecified amount to $50,000 for each fiscal year of fiscal biennium 2019-2021;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 970, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 970, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair