STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1033

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 983

        S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 983, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to update and expand the Department of Education's existing professional certification incentive program.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Renames the Department of Education's Teacher National Board Certification Incentive Program as the National Certification Incentive Program;

 

(2)  Expands and clarifies the requirements of the teacher national board certification incentive program to include school psychologists;

 

(3)  Specifies that teacher incentives, bonuses, and compensation beyond regular wages are excluded from public charter schools' per-pupil base requests; and

 

(4)  Appropriates funds for certain bonuses for public school teachers, public charter school teachers, and school psychologists.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Association of School Psychologists, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and seven individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

 

Your Committee finds that this measure, by expanding certification incentives to include school psychologists and supporting certain bonuses to certain deserving education professionals, incentivizes professional excellence, rewards quality educators, and will positively influence school psychologist recruitment efforts in the State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Inserting $1,666,434 as the amount to be appropriated for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum for fiscal year 2020-2021;

 

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

(3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 983, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 983, S.D. 2.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair