CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 162

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 546

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 546, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require complex area superintendents to report directly to the Superintendent of Education; and

(2) Make appropriations to implement a reorganization of the Department of Education that is informed by a 2015 reorganization chart prepared by the Department, which redistributes positions and dissolves:

(A) The Office of Strategy, Innovation, and Performance; and

(B) The Office of information Technology Services.

Your Committee on Conference finds that currently, the complex area superintendents report to the Deputy Superintendent of Education. There is a concern that the Superintendent of Education does not consistently communicate with or receive all feedback from the complex area superintendents. This measure will streamline communication between the complex superintendents and the Superintendent of Education.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language appropriating funds for the Department of Education to implement the reorganization plan prepared by the Department;

(2) Inserting language that requires the Department of Education's Office of Information Technology Services to submit a report to the Legislature providing an explanation of how the Office of Information Technology Services will be restructured in the next biennium;

(3) Inserting language that the Department of Education's Office of Strategy, Innovation, and Performance to submit a report to the Legislature providing an explanation of how the Office of Strategy, Innovation, and Performance will be restructured in the next biennium;

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency; and

(5) Changing the effective date to upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 546, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 546, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Chair	____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON Co-Chair
____________________________ DRU KANUHA Co-Chair	____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA Co-Chair
	____________________________ TY J.K. CULLEN Co-Chair