STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1348

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 814

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 814, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Clarify the process for applicants to apply to open and operate a charter school; and

(2) Provide for penalties for authorizers who fail to timely comply with the Board of Education's decisions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Kulia Academy and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Education and State Public Charter School Commission.

Your Committee finds that H.B. No. 1220, H.D. 2 (Regular Session of 2021), a substantially similar measure, was previously passed by the House. Your Committee further finds that H.B. No. 1220, H.D. 2 does not contain a provision regarding penalties for authorizers who fail to timely comply with the Board of Education's decisions, which will assuage concerns related to such penalties.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its contents and inserting the contents of H.B. No. 1220, H.D. 2, a measure that:

(A) Requires members of the Charter School Commission to collectively possess strong experience and expertise in various fields;

(B) Allows a charter school authorizer's staff to provide technical support up until the completed charter application is submitted;

(C) Clarifies charter application notice requirements;

(D) Clarifies authorizer compliance requirements in cases of an appeal; and

(E) Contains an effective date of July 1, 2050; and

(2) 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 S.B. No. 814, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Readinyg in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 814, S.D.1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair