STAND. COM. REP. 3027

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2911

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2911, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enhance accountability of charter schools.

Specifically, the measure requires that charter schools be subject to:

(1) County laws, codes, and rules governing land use and public health and safety to the extent that those laws, codes, and rules apply to other public schools;

(2) State land use laws;

(3) The Uniform Information Practices Act; and

(4) Audit by the Department of Education (DOE) and the Auditor.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from the DOE, Attorney General, Hawaii County Office of the Corporation Counsel, Hawaii County Council, and Hawaii Government Employees Association, Local 152, AFL-CIO. The Hawaii Charter Schools Network, the Na Wai Ola "Waters of Life" Public Charter School and the School Board of Na Wai Ola testified in opposition to the measure. The Office of Information Practices commented on the measure.

Your Committee finds that the current exemptions applicable to charter schools are ambiguous, and that the changes in this measure will clarify their responsibilities.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Deleting the requirement to comply with state land use laws and the Uniform Information Practices Act; and

(2) Changing the audit and inspection requirement to be performed by the charter school administrative office.

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. 2911, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2911, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair