STAND. COM. REP. NO. 423

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1567

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor and Technology and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 1567 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the State Board for Career and Technical Education (Board) to cooperate with the Legislature to advise on provisions of all nonfederal funds received that are earmarked for career and technical education;

(2) Require the Board, in collaboration with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, to develop and implement workforce development pathways;

(3) Require the Board to submit annual reports to the Legislature;

(4) Amend the membership composition of the Career and Technical Education Coordinating Advisory Council; and

(5) Appropriate funds.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Education Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Education, Office of Collective Bargaining, and Hawai‘i P-20 Partnerships for Education.

Your Committees find that over the past decade, secondary schools across the State have diverted funding from career and technical education to tested subjects. According to testimony received by your Committees, the career and technical education teaching field has one of the highest vacancy fields because the current pay to teach these desired skills is not competitive with industry pay. This measure will expand the educational and career options for students by increasing state efforts to recruit and retain high quality career and technical education teachers.

Your Committees have heard the testimony of the Office of Collective Bargaining and notes its concerns regarding appropriations for collective bargaining cost items made prior to or during collective bargaining negotiations. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committees respectfully request that it considers replacing sections 7 and 8 of this measure with the following:

"In accordance with section 89-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, an agreement may be reached between the employer, as defined in section 89-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the exclusive representative of collective bargaining unit (5) and each public charter school for differential pay increases for career and technical education teachers; provided that the teachers meet the requirements for a standard limited license in career and technical education issued by the Hawaii teacher standards board."

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Incorporating the Department of Education's recommendation to broaden the application of appropriated funds to all career and technical education teachers;

(2) Replacing references to "superintendent of education" with the broader term "employer" in the appropriation sections of this measure;

(3) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committees also urge the Department of Education to consider career and technical education training and recertification options for its teachers.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Technology and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1567, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1567, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Labor and Technology and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair