So if we did not accept it, we would just basically say, "Oh, we don't like what you guys are saying. We don't agree." That's it. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um Hilda, I'm going to share this with you so you can pop it up if I can give the Google access to it. >> I just So keep that conversation going. It just gives them that opportunity to rehash this come back with some more concrete strategies that would make us feel or me feel or it's an overall look, right? If we all decide that we want to keep this conversation going, that we can bring another report and we just report on it again and it's a time for us to then we decide is this sufficient enough for us to decide yes, you guys are have the implementations in place to make us try to get us to the end goal or at least one of our ins and have two.
Well, I Lindsay and I have we've called I've tried to get the fingerprint people to come here, but they need a minimum of 50 people in order to get their fingerprints done and we only had 32. So, it's >> there's another 22 kids who doesn't need to just put them in there so they can come. I mean I mean, let's make it happen, right? Like at the end of the day I mean you know, we just need to find find a way and if they need 50 people, then we have to work on the other 22. The other piece of that is because the kids are minors, their parents have to be with them. So, there is a waiver that they need to sign in front of whoever is doing the fingerprints, so the parent physically has to be with their student in order to get their fingerprints completed.
Yeah, by the end of today. Thank you. Thank you, Zara. I'll very much. Yes, Senator Lee. Thanks. Um thanks. Just looking at your [clears throat] testimony um and some of the other testifiers, uh totally get the the affordability argument and concerns there. Obviously, we all live in areas where that's that's a big deal. Um but one of the things that's pointed out here is that switching on average, let's say, uh for your typical driver from uh typical gas car to EV here in Hawaii, well, actually on Oahu, you save between $4 to $5,000 per year for that owner, right? And that's compounded over the life of the vehicle. Let's say you're even just taking it to warranty, so 5 years is like $20,000, let's say conservatively. Wouldn't that from an affordability perspective have value if even it means um there's a few thousand dollars more up front you're paying for a slightly more capable vehicle?
Yes. one no versus the two no one. >> Yeah. And I believe it would count against evaluation saying that there was one report that wasn't I got to look into it. But yeah, it just drops the conversation in that. with you and that is tell me on the second page. >> It is on page three under the bullet point that says effective board member participation and bullet point three keep the conversation going. >> No, no, no, no. One more up. Go ahead. >> Yeah. Where it says to accept when you went over that part. That was really fast. I didn't hear. So once the board has completed what was number one again is thereision and is there strategy and then below it says that the answer to all three is yes then the board accepts which is usually been the case. What is the reality?
Do they need a legal guardian or A parent or legal guardian. Yep. And that's that's where we've So, if if that doesn't happen because parents can leave work, what other ways can we do it? We have them uh we we need to get what a What do they call it? Like some kind of Wait Yeah, well, you know, a parent can sign where some authorizing uh uh school member who you know, who will get a sign for something like this so they can all have that one adult you know, if that's something that we can do. Maybe the parent will sign and say, "Okay, we'll give authorization for fingerprinting for so-and-so person from the school so they maybe they're they're parent legal for that particular um uh situation, I guess. I mean, what else? I'm just looking for options cuz I you think we just kind of got stuck on the they can't get fingerprinting and just I I see what you're saying.
It might just depend on what size of vehicle is available and you need for, you know, what you're purchasing it for. So, if there is an EV that a a family of six can afford that needs to haul things or whatever, I'm not sure if if the math is exactly as you said, but um I definitely be glad to share with you what I see in terms of sales going on now. Yeah. >> Sure, and to that go back to that later, but um for the moment, if there were cheaper EVs to begin with in the let's say $20 to $30,000 range that can fit that kind of um use where you're hauling stuff around, you know, that kind of thing that you're referring to? >> Is there actual savings? I I mean, I can't I can't exactly speak to that, but I Not that there's savings, but that would be an option that could then be made viable for especially low-income families where you could not only save money on the front end with a cheaper vehicle that can accommodate things, but then you're saving all that money, that another $20,000 for the next 5 years in addition to that.
Well, I think the reality >> as ination >> No, the real I think what reality matches the vision means is that the reality that we're in right now is that actually in line with our goals which is our vision but do they actually is there and they are like our goals are based off of our vision. So that was an online guess. Does that refer to progress itself? >> Yes. The growth that we're seeing in the progress monitor report is that moving towards submission. I would say yes because did have some growth and it's obviously helping us meet our goals. But this is with the part the number three where it's you have one no. This is where keep that conversation going. And it's this bullet point number three where it says is there a strategy and plan sufficient to cause growth a growth toward the vision and that's where I say I don't know so as presented right now I don't I don't know that we have a strategy or a plan to ensure that the growth that we're going to have is going to meet the goal that we have and they call it the vision here.
So, I think that's why we're I'm asking if if we do option three and you do the oversight, we can cut the fingerprint piece out so that the students that are in early education and care can now go into the daycare because you guys are overseeing it versus EEC. Does that make sense? I don't know if that answers your question, but I'm sorry. Um Go ahead. Excuse me, let's stay in order. Vice chair, please. Um so, the reason why I brought up that uh in the beginning if we were getting this presentation, we'll just either decide if the committee would like um so, I used to work at an early childhood center um a while ago and my aunt is a private provider at home and so she talks all the time about the EEC regulations and they're always checking the the property and the bathroom and the stuff you use and all of that.
I guess, Senator, what I would want you to consider, if you would, is funding that then out of the general fund. You know, it's really this double-edged sword of yes, we want to promote adoption of EVs, but at the expense of certain vehicles. In in some of the hearings we had in the house, it was positioned as like unluxury vehicles or unnecessarily expensive vehicles, but these aren't necessarily luxury or you know, unnecessarily expensive vehicles. Sure, well, I mean, making those available is like critical, right? I mean, well, HADA put in a bill last year that would bar direct sale of those kinds of cheaper vehicles. I'm thinking of like the upcoming slate and or a number of other vehicles in that class that fit that cheaper We've had concerns where the dealer and franchise relationship is eroded and manufacturers compete have a contract with a dealer and then circumvent that contract to sell directly to consumers.
I don't know why I districts call it different but >> okay so that's >> right the way I'm reading it I guess >> but then number three would be more like is there addition additional growth as opposed to what's >> well I would say growth in general because the first two were seeing zero growth were stagnant so there has been no growth >> no question Oh, I'm sorry. >> I'm just trying to make sure I'm understanding this part before we jump to our next 2.1 years that first measure% the third measure is 2.5. So are we likely to finish this year that seems fairly but it's difficult for us to say yeah so that's you know so there's a significant difference between whether we're not the difference with 2.5 is that in 2.3 when you look at what our is for any of the So we look at point out trying to spot problems.
So, I get that piece, too. Um and all of the capacity that that takes from the staff. Um but also the situation with parents not feeling comfortable with their kids getting fingerprinted, especially in the climate that we're in right now. Um so, one thing that I wanted to ask, which is more related to making sure that we're still sort of holding the legal sort of standard of making sure that our kids are not criminal offenders. I mean, not that we have kids that are, but um making sure that we are making those checks, um making sure that they're not in any kind of registry um without having again, without having to do the fingerprinting, which can be um kind of difficult and based on the graphic um it would be hard to have kids go out to even a co-op if you can't get these fingerprints done.
We're not opposed to vehicles sold directly to consumers. We're just concerned when there is a dealer-manufacturer relationship in place that dealers not circumvent that and compete with their own dealers. So, that might unintentionally appear that we oppose smaller vehicles or certain less expensive vehicles, but it's really for a reason because of the manufacturer-dealer relationship. Sure. Sure, we can Thank you for introducing that bill, by the way. So, I know we we should have further discussion. Thank you. Yeah, and it's kind of interesting. I have three girlfriends in Hilo and and for some reason and some are like we're not part of the same group. One I'm friend with one, I'm friend with the other one, I'm friend with the other one, and they all bought new vehicles, Lexus, but you know what? They bought the hybrids. Yeah, and they refused to get the pure EVs and only because the Big Island and its roadways, you go up the hills and down the hills and all over the place throughout the island.
The reason they're concerned about their sixth graders is because the reason there really is the reason that we're tearing apart and memorizing and talking about all these conversations that we're having is because we're not just focusing on that part of this year. We're really trying to focus on where are the structural deficiencies, challenges, problems, inadequate professional development support that will affect two years down the road, which is why in particular drilling on sixth grade students and that's why you heard Dr. friends in and this list talk about that we were looking at the differences between what's happening in eighth grade and what's happening in sixth grade to try to make sure that whatever that difference is that's going to function that we're making systemic changes to ensure that we're going forward we're showing up whatever the problems are you identified some very specifications beyond putting placement We may not see those measures affected this year for sixth grade, but the intention is to make sure that as those schools move into seventh grade on that we're giving back that eighth grade school preschool and one of the reasons we have this math importance basically It's like, you know, um I know we're doing different, but if you're looking at two last year compared to this year compared to the test, I mean, that is a big difference, right?
Um and part of why this program was established is to give these kids that opportunity. So, um all of what you're sha- you're sharing makes sense, but I I'm curious to know about the sort of legal side of it of um making sure that kids are able to uh be in the program. We're checking criminal records if there are any. So, I wonder maybe from the school end if we could do a CORI story on them because that doesn't require a fingerprint. That's just a background check. Um that might be one way to do that. >> Cuz like for other people, it could raise like um big questions like, "Oh, we're pulling back on fingerprinting, then there's no sort of legal standard." You know, if there's something that uh we can do uh internally as a district to um check make sure the kids are good um and that they're because they're working with babies and and working with uh young kids.
Um but interesting, but they're willing to pay, but that's okay if they can afford it. But it's nice to upgrade a vehicle that, you know, is comfortable for that particular consumer. But um yes, there's others that we must take care of as well. Thank you so much for being here. Appreciate it. Imua Alliance. Aloha, Chair and committee members. I'm Chris Coughlin, speaking to you today as president of the Imua Alliance, we're in support of this bill, as you all know. Uh transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Hawaii, accounting for nearly half of our uh statewide emissions. Um and electric that makes clean transportation all the more urgent, and uh we have over 40,000 EVs on our roads right now, but affordability remains a huge concern, especially with the uh federal changes that have eliminated EV tax credits at the federal level for working families.
at this time of year. >> Look how good it is. We have a lot of room and to be honest even with our goals. >> So it's hard, >> right? It's hard to get excited. But rather than coming back to you and saying, we're still trying to specific so I just also think it's important to and that there are strategies that are there work, the work that's affecting this year's teachers and this year students, but it's also work that's trying to protect the care to make sure that you're appropriately impacting those sixth grade students and in part because we're not even talking a small number of students when our eighth grade blacks small number of students in the when we're just talking about sixth grade, eighth grade, sixth grade, right? There's only a certain number of sixth grade students in this district. And that means there's also a very small number of teachers.
Um The other piece of that, too, this this fingerprinting stuff, I understand is in place for people who are employed and working directly unsupervised. These students are never unsupervised. So, they're you know, I'm the director. I'm also a Chapter 74 instructor and I'm in these rooms. I also have a co-teacher and we're hiring a third one. So, there is some able-bodied and plus the the preschool teachers, the infant they're all background checked, so they're they're not ever alone with the kids. Um but maybe a CORI story and then the additional all of us adult staff watching over them as well. Um like it like as they go in right now they're just there planning and and facilitating little um you know, activities. They're not in the bathroom with kids or providing CPR, first aid, band None of that, medications, any of that. They're just It's just like an extra body just working with kids in that capacity.
Uh there was a paper that came out from Harvard University uh in March of 2025 that shows that the elimination of those credits uh would uh reduce vehicle adoption rates nationally by at least 6 to 10% uh and contribute another $20 million of carbon emissions over baseline projections by 2030. This bill helps fill that gap by creating a state rebate um that matters tremendously for working families as was just stated um the savings on EVs from uh traditional gas-powered vehicles uh can be up to 40% or approximately $5,000 per year. Uh this program has been implemented in other states it works uh in uh Oregon it's been in high demand there's over 42,000 rebates that have been issued in Oregon uh through the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. In California uh EV rebate programs are in such high demand that they're often over subscribed. They they they can't fulfill the total number of rebates that are in demand so um we think this is a great bill climate resilience bill and affordability bill and an energy security bill and we hope that you will move it forward.
And so if something were to happen where we lose three and a half teachers in grade, we're going to see significant. That's not me making an excuse, but it is part of why we're going well things like that happening. How do we put protective strategies in place so that when things like that happen that we're able to react to them and you see our principles reacting in real time to try to solve those problems >> I think you know that I won't discussion again rather than I mean I know the progress monitoring is never important but if we're thinking of these questionable if we were taking the word vision and saying that that has to do with the measure I would be a different score which is what Okay, perfect. Any other comments or anything? All right, I will Thank you so much for that.
Yeah, and I mean, I also sort of raise it um because the other shops when kids go to co-op, they do a CORI form. They do a story form. And so, this program being in-house um taking care of teachers' kids, essentially. Um it would make it would only make sense that the district does some sort of CORI story to make sure that um we're holding uh make we're holding those standards at least some sort of legal standard. Um and then my other question is more related to I believe the oversight piece, which also raised big questions in terms of the responsibility of the of the school committee. Um and so, my understanding is that there will be two staff managing the program or have been doing that. Um and you both or uh you Lindsay report to the superintendent or the director. And so, there is still that sort of um accountability piece with the staffing um and making sure that if if we do jump into some sort of oversight, that we're getting updates or reports and if there are challenges that we know about it so that we can address them.