STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1540

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 980

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. 980 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to strengthen private education in Hawaii by defining the term "private school", for the purpose of compulsory education, to mean an educational institution that teaches students in any grade from kindergarten through grade twelve and that is licensed or accredited by the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools or the Western Association of Schools.

The Hawaii Association of Independent Schools and Hawaii Council of Private Schools supported this measure. A concerned individual opposed the measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Expanding the entities by which a private school, for the purpose of compulsory education, may be licensed or accredited to include the Hawaii Council of Private Schools, Western Catholic Educational Association, Association of Christian Schools International, or a similarly recognized entity that meets or exceeds the standards set by the aforementioned entities;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 980, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 980, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair