STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1135-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2488

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Labor & Public Employment and Lower & Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2488, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHER COMPENSATION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to help address various teacher shortages in the State by appropriating funds for:

 

     (1)  Teacher compensation as negotiated between the Superintendent of Education and the exclusive representative of Collective Bargaining Unit (5) in a memorandum of understanding that includes:

 

          (A)  An experimental modernization project to address compensation equity issues and make necessary discretionary salary adjustments for experienced senior teachers; and

 

          (B)  Additional teacher pay for special education, hard-to-staff geographic locations, and Hawaiian language immersion programs;

 

     (2)  Extra compensation for classroom teacher shortage differentials in charter schools; and

 

     (3)  Fringe benefit costs for teacher compensation, including the state employers' share of the employees' retirement pension accumulation and social security and Medicare payments for employees.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, State Public Charter School Commission, Special Education Advisory Council, Kamaile Academy Public Charter School, HEE Coalition, Democratic Party of Hawaii, Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Americans for Democratic Action, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Kamehameha Schools, ILWU Local 142, Pride at Work Hawaii, Parents for Public Schools of Hawaii, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and over two hundred individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund and five individuals.

 

     Your Committees understand that a qualified and stable teacher workforce is central to student learning and achievement and the success of Hawaii's public education system.  However, your Committees find that the State continues to face a chronic teacher shortage, which undermines student learning and achievement.  Your Committees recognize that various compensation methods and strategies are essential for attracting, recruiting, and retaining qualified teachers in the State.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor & Public Employment and Lower & Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2488, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2488, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Labor & Public Employment and Lower & Higher Education,

 

 

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair

 

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair