STAND. COM. REP. NO. 432-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2511

H.D. 1

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. 2511 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Provide funding for the rental or lease of facilities through legislative appropriations and bond authorizations to the State Public Charter School Commission (Commission) for the design, planning, construction, repair, and maintenance of public charter school improvements; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Commission for infrastructure costs, lease or rent assistance, and the repair and maintenance of network infrastructure for charter schools.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, Kanu O Ka Aina New Century Public Charter School, Ka Umeke Ka eo Hawaiian Language Immersion Public Charter School, Kua O Ka La New Century Public Charter School, Kapolei Charter School, Ke Kula o Samuel M. Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School, Hawaii Academy of Arts & Science Public Charter School, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that facilities funding has been a long-standing issue for charter schools nationally and locally. Additionally, public charter schools receive inequitable funding to support student learning when compared to traditional public schools. The amounts received in recent fiscal years by the Commission have not been able to keep pace with the cost of providing and maintaining high-quality facilities. This measure will provide additional funding resources to the Commission for public charter school facilities.

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.

Should your Committee on Finance decide to hear this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $10,000,000 to the Commission for infrastructure costs, lease or rent assistance, and the repair and maintenance of network infrastructure for charter schools.

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. 2511, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2511, 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