STAND. COM. REP. NO. 246-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2661

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2661 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enact the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact (Interstate Compact) to reduce the barriers to teacher license portability and employment.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board; Hawaii Association for Justice; and one individual.

Your Committee recognizes that there is a shortage of teachers for certain subject areas and even more commonly in rural or remote geographic areas, leading to the need for the hiring of individuals who are not certified to teach in the State. Your Committee further finds that the Interstate Compact that would be authorized by this measure may allow more licensed out-of-state teachers to be quickly considered for hiring in these areas.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have provided immunity to members, officers , the executive director, employees, and representatives of the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission from suit and liability for any claim for damage to or loss of property or personal injury or other civil liability for certain acts conducted within the scope of Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2661, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2661, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair