STAND. COM. REP. NO.41-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2166

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2166 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds for the benefit of not-for-profit private and sectarian elementary schools, secondary schools, colleges, and universities that serve the general public.

The Hawaii Catholic Conference submitted testimony in support of this bill. The Department of Budget and Finance and Hawaii State Teachers Association submitted testimony in opposition to this bill. The Department of Education submitted comments on this bill.

Your Committees find that all schools, public and private, should be supported in their efforts to provide the best education possible to students in the State. Many private schools in the State are small and have difficulty financing needed repair and construction work on their campuses. Allowing these schools to utilize special purpose revenue bonds would significantly increase their ability to improve their facilities and quality of education, at no cost to the State.

 

Your Committees would like to note, however, that some questions were raised regarding the provisions in this bill allowing "bond pooling" among multiple institutions. The mechanisms for this process will likely have to be further delineated as this bill proceeds through the Committees on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs and Finance.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2166 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Higher Education,

 

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ROY TAKUMI, Chair

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KEN ITO, Chair