STAND. COM. REP. NO. 712

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 107

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 107, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize a majority of the members of the Board of Education to elect a chairperson from among the members of the Board;

(2) Authorize the members to annually elect a chairperson upon the start of the next confirmed term for members; and

(3) Remove the requirement that the chairperson be an at-large member.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Education.

Your Committee finds that in 2010, the Legislature passed H.B. 2376, H.D. 3, S.D. 2, C.D. 1, which proposed an amendment to the Hawaii State Constitution to change the Board of Education composition from one elected by voters to one appointed by the Governor. Hawai‘i voters approved the constitutional amendment later that year. Presently, the Board of Education chairperson is selected from among the at-large members by the Governor. However, in periods of transition between administrations, a delay in the appointment of a Board of Education chairperson may affect official business. This measure stabilizes the Board of Education's leadership, especially in periods of transition, to ensure the continuation of policy that provides Hawai‘i's keiki with a high quality education.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 107, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair