STAND. COM. REP. NO. 435-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2421

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2421, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAI'I SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a Board of Trustees for the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind to establish an independent governance structure for the school.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind Alumni Club, Aloha State Association for the Deaf, Disability Rights Hawaii, and eleven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that for the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind, there has been a lack of administrators within the Department of Education who are experienced and knowledgeable in deaf education and fluent in American Sign Language. Your Committee further finds that for the school to be successful, it needs independent oversight through an independent, expertise-driven board of trustees. This measure statutorily establishes the independent governance structure for the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind, which will enable the school to more appropriately meet the needs of deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind students.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of 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 H.B. No. 2421, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2421, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair