STAND. COM. REP. NO. 565-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2514

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. 2514, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHER HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Teacher Housing Assistance Program to be administered by the Department of Education to provide housing vouchers to certain eligible teachers;

(2) Expand the authorized uses of the Teachers' Housing Revolving Fund to include the Teacher Housing Assistance Program; and

(3) Appropriate funds out of the Teachers' Housing Revolving Fund to provide housing vouchers through the Teacher Housing Assistance Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association and Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that teacher recruitment and retention are difficult, especially at hard-to-staff schools. Your Committee further finds that the State's high cost of living is a significant contributing factor in the Department of Education's teacher recruitment and retention efforts. This measure will alleviate the financial burden on teachers in obtaining housing by providing housing vouchers for teachers.

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. 2514, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair