STAND. COM. REP. NO. 26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 556

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 556 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Board of Education to invite:

(1) The exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to appoint a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board; and

(2) The exclusive representative for bargaining unit (6) to appoint a nonvoting public school administrator to the Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Education Caucus, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Education and Office of Collective Bargaining.

Your Committee finds that the Board of Education currently consists of nine voting members, none of whom are required to be a public school teacher or public school administrator. The appointment of a current public school teacher and public school administrator as nonvoting members to the Board will provide first-hand experience and expertise on the educational and professional climate in the State's public schools, impact of education policies on teacher recruitment and retention, and resources needed to deliver a quality learning experience for all of Hawaii's children.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

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

Should your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider the concerns raised by the Office of Collective Bargaining regarding a potential conflict of interest by allowing the exclusive representatives of bargaining units (5) and (6) to appoint a public school teacher and public school administrator to the Board of Education, as the appointed individuals may influence the Board's decision-making process for collective bargaining.

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. 556, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 556, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair