Report Title:

School Repair, Maintenance; Hawaii 3R's; GIA; DAGS

Description:

Appropriates funds for a grant-in-aid to Helping Hands Hawaii for the school repair and maintenance fund. Appropriates funds for a position with the DAGS to coordinate the public and private efforts to repair and maintain public schools.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

954

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO SCHOOL REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the backlog of repair and maintenance projects in public schools continues to be of concern and that all means of addressing the problem should be explored and supported.

The Twenty-first legislature, in Act 309, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, laid the foundation for Hawaii 3R's, a project of the private, nonprofit organization, Helping Hands Hawaii.

The legislature finds that Hawaii 3R's has saved the State money by leveraging funds with volunteerism or "sweat equity". Through remarkable community support, federal funds, private donations, and state grant-in-aid funds, repair and maintenance projects estimated to cost $2,885,000 have been completed or are in progress. Of the $1,000,000 in state grant-in-aid funds appropriated for Hawaii 3R's for the biennium ending June 30, 2003, $625,000 has been expended thus far by Hawaii 3R's. This means that for every state dollar expended, over four and one-half dollars worth of work is completed. Or, in terms of savings, the State has saved over $2,200,000 in repair and maintenance costs. It is also noteworthy that Hawaii 3R's has statewide reach, with thirty-eight grants awarded on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Kauai, and Hawaii.

The legislature also finds that the public-private partnership between the State and Hawaii 3R's is effective and essential to the success of the program. Specifically, the legislature finds that the coordinator position within the department of accounting and general services provides Hawaii 3R's with expertise, support, quick response, and access to state resources and information. The coordinator position also adds visibility and positive coverage to the efforts of the State.

The legislature acknowledges that Hawaii 3R's also has built a partnership with the military's Joint Venture Education Forum. This relationship not only benefits military impacted or dependant schools, but all of Hawaii public schools through increased military partnerships. Through Joint Venture Education Forum (i.e., federal) funding, Hawaii 3R's can provide grants to over one hundred military impacted, dependant, partnered schools.

The legislature understands that it is necessary to keep the current level of state funding to reach those estimated one hundred fifty public schools that cannot receive grants through Joint Venture Education Forum funding.

Finally, the legislature is encouraged by the level of support that the community has given to Hawaii 3R's and more importantly, the public schools. Skilled and unskilled volunteer labor from the military, civic clubs, churches, teachers, parents, and students, combined with donations from community restaurants and businesses, have made Hawaii 3R's successful. Also, trade unions and associations have been lending invaluable support. Hawaii 3R's, with the assistance of the department of accounting and general services and the community, has created a truly successful public-private partnership.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to continue the efforts of Act 309, Session Laws of Hawaii 2001, by appropriating state funds to Helping Hands Hawaii and by providing a position and funds in the department of accounting and general services to coordinate public and private efforts to repair and maintain public schools.

Finally, the legislature finds that appropriating public funds to Helping Hands Hawaii serves the public purpose of expediting the repair and maintenance of Hawaii' s public schools.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, and the sum of $500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, as a grant-in-aid pursuant to chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to Helping Hands Hawaii for the school repair and maintenance fund established under section 302A-1502.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this section.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $51,302, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, and the sum of $51,302, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, for a position within the department of accounting and general services to coordinate the public and private efforts to repair and maintain public schools.

The comptroller may employ the coordinator, who shall be exempt from chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act. The coordinator shall serve at the pleasure of the comptroller.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this section.

SECTION 4. If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are severable.

SECTION 5. It is the intent of this Act not to jeopardize the receipt of any federal aid nor to impair the obligation of the State or any agency thereof to the holders of any bond issued by the State or by any such agency, and to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to effectuate this intent, the governor may modify the strict provisions of this Act, but shall promptly report any such modification with reasons therefore to the legislature at its next session thereafter for review by the legislature.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

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