STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1739

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 960

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

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 H.B. No. 960, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, 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 appropriate moneys into and out of the school facilities special fund for the School Facilities Authority to construct new school facilities and expand existing school facilities for prekindergarten students.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association, School Facilities Authority, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, University of Hawaii, Executive Office on Early Learning, HE`E Coalition, Kamehameha Schools, and one individual.

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

Your Committee finds that the School Facilities Authority is considering expending some of the moneys appropriated by this measure to establish prekindergarten facilities at locations outside of existing school grounds. Accordingly, your Committee believes that amending the powers of the School Facilities Authority to explicitly allow for the construction of prekindergarten facilities will help to achieve the intent of the measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by adding provisions that explicitly include the development and construction of prekindergarten facilities among the powers of the School Facilities Authority.

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 H.B. No. 960, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 960, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair