STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2737

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3092

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3092, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to the Department of Education to cover its funding obligations for charter schools.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Education is required to provide proportional funding to charter schools based on their student enrollment. Your Committee notes that the growth in enrollment at public charter schools is four percent higher than originally projected, resulting in less funding for charter schools than what is required. Accordingly, your Committee finds that the emergency appropriation in this measure will allow state public charter schools to continue to meet the needs of students and account for increased enrollment.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

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. 3092, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3092, 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