REPORT TITLE:
School Repairs and Maintenance


DESCRIPTION:
Increases the school-level minor repair and maintenance accounts
from $8,000 to $20,000 per school; allows principals to hire the
department of accounting and general services to perform these
services; allows these school-level accounts to be used for minor
improvements; and appropriates funds to fund these accounts.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           119
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO SCHOOL REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE, AND IMPROVEMENTS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature recognizes that any recurring or
 
 2 outstanding problems affecting the health, safety, and well-being
 
 3 of Hawaii's public school students are detrimental to academic
 
 4 achievement and student learning.  In an ongoing effort to
 
 5 address the repair and maintenance needs of the public schools,
 
 6 the Sixteenth Legislature enacted Act 296, Session Laws of Hawaii
 
 7 1992.  Act 296 required the department of education to establish
 
 8 school-level minor repairs and maintenance accounts and
 
 9 distributed $8,000 to each of the two hundred thirty-six public
 
10 schools for this purpose.
 
11      Through Act 296, school principals are empowered with more
 
12 discretion and flexibility in responding to and resolving their
 
13 school's repair and maintenance needs.  Greater school
 
14 empowerment has resulted in principals responding to their
 
15 school's repair and maintenance needs in a more efficient and
 
16 timely manner.  The legislature also recognizes that further
 
17 efforts to support the upkeep of school facilities and grounds
 
18 will contribute to a positive and conducive learning environment
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           119
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 for Hawaii's students.
 
 2      The purpose of this Act is to increase the school-level
 
 3 minor repair and maintenance accounts from $8,000 to $20,000 per
 
 4 school; to allow principals to hire the department of accounting
 
 5 and general services to perform these services; to allow these
 
 6 school-level accounts to be used for minor improvements; and to
 
 7 appropriate funds for fiscal years 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 to
 
 8 fund these school-level accounts.
 
 9      SECTION 2.   Section 302A-1504, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
10 amended to read as follows:
 
11      "[[]�302A-1504[]]  School-level minor repairs [and],
 
12 maintenance, and improvements accounts.(a)  The department
 
13 shall establish school-level minor repairs [and], maintenance,
 
14 and improvements accounts for the use of each public school,
 
15 which shall not exceed [$8,000] $20,000 per school.  The accounts
 
16 shall be comprised of funds appropriated to the department for
 
17 school-level minor repairs [and], maintenance, and improvements
 
18 and shall not be used for any other purpose, nor shall any other
 
19 funds be deposited into the accounts.  Any funds appropriated for
 
20 this purpose which are unencumbered at the close of each fiscal
 
21 year shall lapse into the general fund.
 
22      (b)  Funds in this account shall be expended at the
 

 
 
 
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                                     S.B. NO.           119
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 direction of the school principal to contract for minor repairs
 
 2 [and maintenance.  Any funds appropriated for this purpose that
 
 3 are unencumbered at the close of each fiscal year shall lapse
 
 4 into the general fund.], maintenance, and improvements; provided
 
 5 that the principal may request that the department of accounting
 
 6 and general services perform these services and such amounts as
 
 7 may be necessary shall be transferred from the school accounts to
 
 8 the department of accounting and general services.  All
 
 9 expenditures from these accounts shall be exempt from chapter
 
10 103D.
 
11      (c)  Each school principal, through the superintendent,
 
12 shall submit a report annually to the department of accounting
 
13 and general services on expenditures made from this account.  The
 
14 department of accounting and general services shall submit to the
 
15 legislature twenty days prior to the convening of each regular
 
16 session, a report of expenditures made by the schools and the
 
17 department of accounting and general services, by departmental
 
18 school district."
 
19      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
20 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $5,020,000, or so much
 
21 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and the
 
22 same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 

 
 
 
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                                     S.B. NO.           119
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 2000-2001, to fund school-level minor repairs, maintenance, and
 
 2 improvements accounts.
 
 3      SECTION 4.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 4 department of education for the purposes of this Act.
 
 5      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 6 
 
 7                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________