STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3382

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2344

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2344, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a temporary, independent Public School Realignment and Closure Commission to develop and recommend a comprehensive package of school consolidations, realignments, and closures based on the federal Base Realignment and Closure mode;

(2) Require an expedited approval process by the Governor and Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education, Board of Education, Department of Accounting and General Services, and Aloha Independent Living Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that decades of statewide public school enrollment growth led to a dramatic expansion of new campuses. However, the recent and continuing decline in student enrollment of Department of Education facilities has left many of these facilities underutilized, diverting operational resources that could be used for direct student education. Your Committee further finds that the federal government established a model to assess infrastructure decisions related to base realignment and closures, which could be adapted to assess school facilities statewide. This measure therefore furthers the State's commitment to optimizing public school education and improving student learning by ensuring educational facilities are utilized efficiently.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 31, 2055, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2344, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2344, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair