STAND. COM. REP. NO.  520-26

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2026

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2397

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

 

Madame:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2397 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to transfer school impact fees from the Kalihi-Ala Moana school impact district to the School Impact Fees Subaccount of the School Facilities Special Fund for the acquisition and renovation of one or more buildings in the downtown Honolulu area to develop and expand pre-kindergarten and charter school capacity.  

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the School Facilities Authority; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

 

     Your Committee finds that the school impact fee program was established to ensure that new residential development contributes to the public infrastructure it necessitates.  However, school impact fees have largely remained unexpended.  This measure will expand the State's pre-kindergarten and public charter school capacity by authorizing the transfer from the school impact fees subaccount of the school facilities special fund for the acquisition and renovation of one or more buildings in the downtown Honolulu area.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

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

 

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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. 2397, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2397, 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