STAND. COM. REP. NO. 155

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 10

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 10 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Board of Education to invite the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to appoint a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association, Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, Hawaii Association of School Psychologists, and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and Board of Education.

Your Committee finds that the Board of Education currently consists of nine voting members, none of whom are required to be a public school teacher. The appointment of a current public school teacher, as a nonvoting member, to the Board will provide first-hand experience and expertise on the educational and professional climate in Hawaii's public schools, impact of education policies on teacher recruitment and retention, and resources needed to deliver a quality learning experience for all of Hawaii's children.

Your Committee further finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted Hawaii's public education system, forcing schools to adapt their operations to public health. The Board of Education would benefit from the experience of a public school teacher representative as well as a public school administrator representative in deliberations about protocols and service delivery systems in response to COVID-19.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Board of Education to invite the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (6) to appoint a nonvoting public school administrator to the Board;

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

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 10, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 10, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair