Aloha HE'E Member and Participants,
 

Legislative News

Votes from voting members are in and the results are reflected in HE'E positions below in bold. All bills in which HE'E is taking a position had 75% or more consensus from voting members. Thank you voting members for participating.  If you should have comments or questions about the below bills or the vetting process, please e-mail cheri@heecoalition.org.  

 

The list below is an update of bills that the Coalition is taking a position on, or bills that members have expressed interest in following.  We encourage members to participate by giving oral testimony on behalf of the Coalition or providing testimony on behalf of their own organizations. Sometimes hearings overlap so it would be great to have members testify on behalf of the Coalition. Please join us by getting involved in the legislative process! If you should need help with submitting testimony, please let us know.   

 

Please view Senator Tokuda's "Updater" lists for Senate bills here, House bills here, and Hearing notices here

 

HE'E TRACKING OF LEGISLATIVE BILLS AS OF JANUARY 31, 2014 

Any bill status can be looked up on http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/ 

To submit testimony, please see instructions on Capitol webpage here.  

 

Hearing Date 
Bill
Description
Remarks

  


01-31-14 1:30PM in conference room 414.

 


HE'E Position: Support

RELATED TO EARLY LEARNING. Authorizes the executive office on early learning to enter into agreements with the department of education and charter schools for use of vacant or underutilized classrooms as public preschool classrooms. Makes an appropriation.

 

1/29/2014    S          The committee(s) on EDU deferred the measure until 01-31-14 1:30PM in conference room 414.

 

 

EDN    309     2/05/2014 2:00 PM            View

 

HE'E Position: Support

HE'E Testimony Forthcoming
RELATED TO EARLY LEARNING. Authorizes the executive office on early learning to enter into agreements with the department of education and charter schools for use of vacant or underutilized classrooms as public preschool classrooms. Makes an appropriation.




HE'E Position: Support

RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. 
Establishes the Early Childhood Education Program within the Early Learning System established by section 302L-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes. 

1/29/2014    S          The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Tokuda, Kidani, Gabbard, Ruderman; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Slom.

EDN    309     2/05/2014 2:00 PM            View
HE'E Position: Support

HE'E Testimony Forthcoming
RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. 
Establishes the Early Childhood Education Program within the Early Learning System established by section 302L-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes. 



 


HE'E Position: Support

RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING. Makes an appropriation for the executive office on early learning to enter into contracts with third party providers for family child interaction learning programs.

1/29/2014    S          The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Tokuda, Kidani, Gabbard, Ruderman; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Slom.


HE'E Position: 
Support

RELATING TO KINDERGARTEN. Amends the compulsory education law to make kindergarten mandatory.

1/29/2014    S          The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Tokuda, Kidani, Ruderman; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Gabbard ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Slom.

EDN    309     2/05/2014 2:00 PM            View 


HE'E Position: Support 

HE'E Testimony Forthcomoing
RELATING TO KINDERGARTEN. Amends the compulsory education law to make kindergarten mandatory. Makes transition to kindergarten a directive for the early learning system. 

 

EDU    414     2/05/2014 1:30 PM            View

 

 



Position: Oppose with amendments

RELATING TO EDUCATION. Requires all public secondary schools to implement a school year that includes nine hundred ninety student instructional hours beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. Repeals the requirement that by the 2016-2018 school years, all public schools implement a school year of one hundred eighty days and one thousand eighty student instructional hours for both elementary and secondary school grades. Clarifies that the definition of "student instructional hours" shall be determined by the board of education.

1/31/2014    S          The committee(s) on EDU deferred the measure until 02-05-14 1:30PM in conference room 414.

 

EDN    309     2/03/2014 2:00 PM            View

 

 HB1675 

Position: Oppose with amendments

HE'E Testimony Forthcoming
Requires all public secondary schools to implement a school year that includes nine hundred ninety student instructional hours beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. Repeals the requirement that by the 2016-2018 school years, all public schools implement a school year of one hundred eighty days and one thousand eighty student instructional hours for both elementary and secondary school grades. Clarifies that the definition of "student instructional hours" shall be determined by the board of education.




HE'E Position: Support

HE'E Testimony Forthcoming
RELATING TO AIR CONDITIONING IN PUBLIC SCHOOL. FACILITIES. Requires DOE and DAGS to develop a cooling master strategy and comprehensive study for the public schools and to report its findings to the 2015 regular session of the legislature. Appropriates funds.

1/27/2014    S          The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Tokuda, Kidani, Gabbard, Ruderman, Slom; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

EDN    309     2/03/2014 2:00 PM            View

 

HE'E Position: Support

HE'E Testimony Forthcoming
RELATING TO AIR CONDITIONING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Appropriates $25,000,000 to the Department of Education for the design and construction of electrical upgrades and installation of air conditioning units in public school classrooms, beginning with those priority schools identified by the Department. Effective July 1, 2014.


EDN    309     2/03/2014 2:00 PM            View

 




HE'E Position: Comments only

HE'E Comments
RELATING TO EDUCATION. Requires the Board of Education to develop and the Department of Education to implement a pilot program to assist students in achieving annual goals under the Common Core State Standards. Requires the Board of Education to provide web-based data and information aimed at improving student outcomes. Effective July 1, 2014.





HE'E Position: Strong Support

RELATING TO EDUCATION. Requires the department of education to administer the youth risk behavior survey to all public school and charter school students in odd-numbered years for grades six to twelve. Requires all private schools to administer the youth risk behavior survey to all students in odd-numbered years for grades six to twelve. Allows parents or legal guardians to exempt their child from participating in the survey.


HE'E Position: Strong Support

RELATING TO EDUCATION. Requires the department of education to administer the youth risk behavior survey to all public school and charter school students in odd-numbered years for grades six to twelve. Requires all private schools to administer the youth risk behavior survey to all students in odd-numbered years for grades six to twelve. Allows parents or legal guardians to exempt their child from participating in the survey. 

1/29/2014    H         The committees on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Takumi, Ohno, Awana, Choy, Hanohano, Ichiyama, Matsumoto, Fale; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Aquino, Say, Takai




HE'E Position: Support


RELATING TO CHILD HEALTH. Creates an appropriation for early intervention services and a web-based early intervention data system. Creates an appropriation for services for children with developmental concerns who do not qualify for services through the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Education Act including family liaison services and medical home integration with Hi'ilei Hawai'i. Creates an appropriation for school-based vision, hearing, and obesity screening. Creates an appropriation for expenses needed to fund multiagency reviews of child deaths and re-establish a child death review coordinator position. 

HMS/EDU      414     2/05/2014 1:15 PM View


HE'E Position: Support


RELATING TO YOUTH. Establishes the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health (R.E.A.C.H.) program in the office of youth services to provide a standardized framework and funding for after-school programs in public middle and intermediate schools. Establishes a revolving fund to receive fees and other moneys to supplement the costs of administering and operating the program. Appropriates funds for establishing the R.E.A.C.H. program to provide funding for after-school programs in middle and intermediate public schools. Establishes one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position to support the program and appropriates funds for that position.
 


EDN    309     2/05/2014 2:00 PM            View

 




HE'E Position: Support

HE'E Testimony Forthcoming
RELATING TO YOUTH. Establishes the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health (R.E.A.C.H.) program in the office of youth services to 
provide a standardized framework and funding for after-school programs in public middle and intermediate schools. Establishes a revolving fund to receive fees and other moneys to supplement the costs of administering and operating the program. Appropriates funds for
establishing the R.E.A.C.H. program to provide funding for after-school programs in middle and intermediate public schools. Establishes one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position to support the program and appropriates funds for that position.
 

The committees on HUS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Carroll, Kobayashi, Belatti, Creagan, Hashem, Jordan, Morikawa, Oshiro, Woodson, Fukumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

1/31/2014    H         Reported from HUS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 50-14) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to EDN.

 

EDU    414     2/07/2014 1:30 PM            View

 

 


RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. Requires the board of education to allow public testimony on items not on a public meeting agenda if certain requirements are met.








RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. Requires the board of education to allow public testimony on items not on a public meeting agenda if certain requirements are met.



RELATING TO AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS. Establishes and funds the Fun 5 Program within the A+ Program in Hawaii's public elementary schools. Appropriation. Effective July 1, 2014.



RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT'S SALARY. Adjusts the salary cap of the Superintendent of Education.

1/29/2014    H         The committees on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Takumi, Ohno, Awana, Choy, Hanohano, Ichiyama, Matsumoto, Fale; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Aquino, Say, Takai.

EDU    414     2/07/2014 1:30 PM   View         

 

RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT'S SALARY. Adjusts the salary cap of the Superintendent of Education.


HE'E News

HE'E Coalition Director Cheri Nakamura is excited about participating on the Private Schools with Public Purpose Symposium on March 6, 7, and 8, three full days of learning about private-public partnerships.  For more information on the symposium, please click on website here. Cheri will be on a panel to discuss "Collaboration, Education and Reform," on March 6.  if anyone is interested in giving perspective for the panel at the PSPP conference, please e-mail cheri@heecoalition.org.  HE'E thanks Carl Ackerman of the PUEO Program for allowing HE'E to share the hard work we have been pursuing in public education.  

 

Upcoming HE'E Meetings

HE'E Quarterly Meeting, Wednesday February 5, 2014 from 4:00-5:30pm, at The Learning Coalition, 841 Bishop Street #301 (Validated Parking at Ali'i Place at 1099 Alakea St. See map here.*For those needing special accommodations to The Learning Coalition, please contact cheri@heecoalition.org. 

 

HE'E is delighted to have Tom Hutton, Executive Director of the Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission, as guest speaker.  Please join us for an overview and update on the status of Charter Schools in Hawaii. Light Refreshments will be provided. There is limited capacity for this event so please RSVP through the electronic invitation if you haven't done so already. The link to register is here.

 

HE'E Planning Meeting, Tuesday February 11, 2014 from 9-11:00am, at The Learning Coalition

We will give an update on the status of education legislation at this meeting. 

 

HE'E meeting notes posted on http://www.heecoalition.org/resources/hee-meeting-notes/
HE'E email archives on http://www.heecoalition.org/resources/hee-email-newsletter-archive   

 

Mahalo,

Cheri Nakamura 

Coalition Director