STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2447

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2391

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2391 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARDS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the governing boards of charter schools to attend annual mandatory training sessions that cover the topics of ethics, procurement, and fiduciary responsibilities.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii State Ethics Commission; State Public Charter School Commission; Hoomana Pono, LLC; and Hawaii Public Charter School Network.

 

     Your Committees find that the governing boards of charter schools have a direct impact on the education of the children in the State.  Ethics is an area that is often overlooked in education.  This training will ensure the integrity of those governing boards and assure the public that their interests are protected.

 

     Your Committees further find that the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network indicated that they are willing and able to provide ethics training.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by specifying that:

 

     (1)  Governing board members shall be certified through programs approved by the State Public Charter School Commission no later than the completion of their first year serving on the governing board;

 

     (2)  The certification programs shall provide for recertification for governing board members serving more than one term; and

 

     (3)  All governing board members serving on July 1, 2018, shall be required to be certified no later than June 30, 2019.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2391, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2391, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Government Operations,

 

________________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

 

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair