STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2754

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2862

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2862, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to install air conditioning units in the State's public school classrooms.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that studies have shown evidence of significant achievement gaps between cooled and non-cooled classroom environments. Providing air conditioning units for those public school classrooms that still lack cooling systems will help the students in those classrooms focus on learning, thereby leading to fewer disciplinary problems and more sustained academic achievement.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2862, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair