STAND. COM. REP. NO. 763

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 826

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 826 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SCHOOL FACILITIES AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify how moneys that were previously appropriated to the School Facilities Authority are to be administered.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Transfers general funds previously appropriated to the School Facilities Authority to the school facilities special fund; and

(2) Appropriates moneys out of the school facilities special fund.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii, Executive Office on Early Learning, HE`E Coalition, and Kamehameha Schools.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Department of Budget and Finance, and School Facilities Authority.

Your Committee finds that transferring the appropriation of general funds made by Act 257, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, into the school facilities special fund will provide the School Facilities Authority greater flexibility to construct pre‑kindergarten classrooms in coordination with its program partners.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing an appropriation ceiling for the school facilities special fund that is equivalent to the balance of moneys in the special fund;

(2) Changing the amount transferred into and out of the school facilities special fund from $200,000,000 to an unspecified sum;

(3) Providing for the deposit and expenditure of moneys in fiscal year 2023-2024, rather than fiscal year 2022‑2023; and

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

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. 826, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 826, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair