EDU Public Hearing 03-20-2026

001Good afternoon. Uh, this hearing of the Senate Committee on Education come to order. Today is Friday. It's raining. We all want to get out of here. So, hopefully we'll be efficient. Uh, it's March 20th and this is in room 229. You're This hearing is being streamed live on YouTube. And if we must end this hearing due to technical issues, the committee will reconvene on Monday, March 23rd in this conference room 229. And a public notice will be posted on the Hawaii State Legislaturator's website. And due to the number of measures we have and issues, you are limited to testify to one minute per testifier. And if the members have questions, we will call you back up. So with that, we will start with our first uh bill on the agenda. House Bill 1559, House draft

0022, uh prohibits a student from using a telecommunication device on school grounds during the instructional day with certain exceptions. Requires a confiscated telecommunication device to be released only to the students, parents or legal garden who has three months to retrieve the device before it is subject to forfeite. Nobody wants their devices to be forfeitured. So with that, first up, Keith Hayashi for Department of Education. Good afternoon, Chair Kim, Senator Deort. I'm Heidi Armstrong, Department of Education. The department stands on its written testimony providing comments on this bill. I would also like to emphasize that on February 12th, 2026, the board of education did adopt a new statewide policy um [clears throat] um defining cell phone use um within our schools. We're available for any questions. >> You just want to say it so that people

003at home know what we're talking about. >> Sure. So, the the board of education policy um has two prongs. For elementary and middle schools, cell phones are prohibited during school hours. Okay, so that's from bell to bell. Start start bell, starting bell, ending bell. For high school, cell phones are prohibited during instructional time, but students do have um the opportunity to use their phones during non-instructional time such as before school, after school, during lunch and recess. And for the details of that defining that the department is in the process of writing implementation guidelines that will support that policy >> and the policy takes effect this next school year. Yes. Correct. >> And what is different about what you what the policy is and what's in the bill? I think the bill um gives additional restrictions

004about when the phone is confiscated um how phones are stored and the current our policy that was adopted on February 12th um is not that prescriptive. Um we support that. Um I'll give an example. Currently, schools who have their own cell phone policies um have different ways of storing the phones that are working for them um one middle school uses the pouches that lock. Another um high school has like the shoe bags that hang on the back of a door. They're in the classroom. Kids put the phone in there when they enter the classroom. Um and then another high school I just visited has the students keep their phones on them. There's announcement at the beginning of every class. Don't take your cell phones out. I did visit the classes and that wasn't an issue

005for the schools. So, the flexibility of the schools um is working for them. >> Okay. I have a couple more questions. I will ask you to come back. >> Okay. Thank you. Um Hawaii State Board of Education. Nobody here from BOE. Hello Jerry. Sarah Millan on behalf of HSDA. Um, we appreciate the intent in this in this bill because I will tell you one thing teachers are tired of being is the phone police. Um, so the liability piece in here makes us feel more comfortable. Um, taking phones away is is tough. You can spend the whole class period trying to figure out it's like whack-a-ole where they get one out and you put one away and back and forth. And I do think there's a lot of methods to handle phones. Uh, what concerns me

006is, okay, so if I take a phone from a kid and I put it on my desk and I go back to teaching because that's my job. If I'm not watching that and that device disappears, then what happens? Is it my fault? The device is lost. Um, I think teachers have been really nervous about who's going to manage the phone pouches or even if you're saying, "Okay, put them in a calculator organizer on a door. If that's not locked and secured, um, that liability issue really makes teachers uncomfortable." Um, so we appreciate that part of that. And we're available for questions. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh, Lisa Bender comments. Uh, we have Mia Nishiguchi oppose on Zoom. >> Not present on Zoom. Chair >> not present on Zoom. Uh we have several others uh one

007other in support and 2 46810 in opposition. Is there anyone here wishing to testify on this measure? Please come on up and and identify yourself. Aloha Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kadani, and members of the Senate Education Board. My name is Nina Lrei. I'm a junior at Milani High School. You have my written testimony, but I'm here in opposition of bill HB1559. Firstly, I wholeheartedly agree that my generation lacks a gener a regular attention span and that phones may be can be a major issue in distracting a student during instructional periods. Personal devices, however, have already been restricted in many schools. This bill is unnecessary, redundant, and could harm student education. This bill puts students who use their devices in an effective and studious way at an unfair disadvantage. More moreover, all high schools use social

008media accounts to engage their students in activities, deadlines, and schedule changes. Taking away these crucial social and communication tools is unreasonable, particularly when the school itself encourages their use. Doesn't the DOE already have a ban on cell phone use? Yes, they do. So, what is what need is there to suddenly have a complete ban on personal devices throughout the entire school day? So, not only is this bill redundant, but it limits our freedoms during our personal break time. >> Um, >> I agree with you. >> Am I allowed to >> um What was your name again? >> Nina Lo prestige. >> Nina Liy. Okay. And I don't know that we have your testimony, so perhaps you can share it with us after. >> Yeah, >> I emailed it to you guys. >> Okay. >> Um,

009but yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. Well, thank you. >> Good job. Good job, Dad. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Uh, hearing none, we are open for questions. I'd like you, E-hide, if you can come back. >> So, as you pointed out, there are some things in the bill that has not been covered by the policy. Is that something that you folks will look at as you do your rules? >> There are. We we have to craft the implementation guidelines. Um but we do foresee those guidelines will allow flexibility um among the schools to suit their specific circumstance. >> Okay. So you folks are allowing each school to to decide how they're going to handle this or are you going to have some general gueneral guidance across the board so that there's no issue

010on you know one school's not doing as enough as other schools are. L elementary is pretty straightforward. It's the the secondary we would probably see more variation, but what will be consistent among all of the schools is that cell phones will not be used during instructional time and and it could be unless it is part of an instructional activity. >> Okay. And how do we safeguard these devices from not disappearing somewhere after they've been taken? And that in um what we're thinking at this point that would be at the discretion of the school um how they would store the phones. Um I I'll give an example why a oneshot um method it would be difficult. So some of the schools that use the pouches they have one ingress and egress or two to the school.

011So, it's very easy for them to um see the students as they walk in and then the pouches are distributed and when they leave other schools there's multiple access points. So, a um method such as that would not work for them. >> Okay. Well, and I don't know what because I'm alone in this, but I would hope that the DOE would have maybe several options, but not just everybody just do whatever they want at each school. So there need to be certain things like you know in safeguarding you can safeguard it in in you know three different ways or whatever they have a choice but I think there needs to be some kind of systematic options that parents can understand um you know each of the schools choose instead of something off the wall like

012you know putting them in a shoe box and putting it away underneath the desk or something you know >> understood and that will be a point of consideration when we craft the implementation guidelines. Okay. And when do you expect that um guidelines to be done in ready for public? >> May 2026. >> Okay. So, in month and two months. Yes. >> Okay. Members, any other questions? Senator >> Question. Thank you. Um I think in reading the testimony, there was a lot of concerns and comments based on like the three-month forefeiter. Uh that seemed kind of excessive. Do you see that to be a part of the solution that might keep these kids accountable? >> No. >> Yeah. >> No. I we're we at this time we weren't planning on putting that into our implementation guidelines.

013>> Okay. Do you think that there is an appropriate forefeiter time period that would fit or >> I I'll I'll give an example of what's widely used on the mainland. And we've done a lot of research on this from um school systems who already have these policies in place statewide. And a a common example would be the first time um the teacher just says, "Put the phone away." And if that's a done deal, it's it's over. It's done. Everybody moves on. Teachers also, we've heard, don't want to be the phone police. So, if that doesn't happen, then many schools have administrative support where the teacher just informs the administrator and then an administrator comes and addresses the issue. >> Okay. What are some of the consequences if they don't follow the rules? >> Um, a

014common one is the administrator take the takes the phone, it is then in the office, the student can come get the phone at the end of the day. The second infraction that that happens for the student, and this is just in general, and this isn't what I'm saying is necessarily going to be in our guidelines, but we're learning from it, is the administrator then takes the phone, and the parent has to come and pick up the phone, and then there's a conference with the parent and the student explaining the rationale of this. >> Okay? And then that's at the principal's discretion, not the complex area superintendent, the district area. This is all within the school within school personnel. Yes. >> So when you say administrator, you're referring >> principal or vice principal. Okay. Thank you.

015Thank you, chair. >> Okay. So hopefully something will be in there. So there's at least a little bit of teeth in it. Yes. That's reasonable. >> Yes, we do want we um do want teeth and we also don't want the teachers to have to bear the burden of being phone police. It's very distracting. >> Any other questions? Not. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other for anybody else? No. Okay, let's go on. We are on House Bill 2012, House draft 1. Uh, [clears throat] establishes and appropriate funds for the Department of Education to establish and implement a 2-year community literacy labs pilot program. Kitayashi for the Department of Education. Aloha, Chair Kim, um, Senator Dory and Senator Hashimoto, Terry Ushiima from the Department of Education. Uh, we stand on a written testimony and we

016are available for any questions you may have. >> Okay. So, I need you to explain what they're standing on so the public understands and the people here who don't have this information on front of it. >> Sure. Um the department supports the intent of this bill and um this bill provides highnee communities with afterchool literacy supports. If this measure um does move forward, our recommendation is to scale the pilot from five sites to two sites and extending the timeline to three years to ensure the program is strategically planned, properly staffed, and integrated into existing school-based literacy frameworks. Okay, thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Stacy Aldrich for the public library system. >> Okay, thank you. Um testifying [clears throat] for Teach of America Pa Kalo Vardy not here. Okay. in support. Milan Akaka Manfrey for

017Teach America as well also in support. Not here. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Hearing none. Members, we are open to questions. I guess Terry can come back. Terry, I know this is not your folks's bill. However, being that you are in support the intent of this measure, um >> why why exactly what aren't you folks doing that this is needed or explain to us what why we need this measure or why we should implement this kind of program. Um well, we think that literacy opportunities in general can be helpful in different ways and community partners. Um our schools do already offer tutoring. Um and especially in our title one schools out of 172 schools of the ele 63% of those elementary schools and 33% of the secondary schools do offer some type

018of um tutoring support already. and our department, we also have available um 247 uh tutoring that schools can opt into. So, we do have things in place already. So, as we um support the intent, it's because we know, you know, it never hurts to have more literacy opportunities for students. As for what the department is already doing, uh we are addressing um these opportunities for students. You know, I I think we can all agree that you can never have enough of anything, but there's a limit because we only have so much money agree and if we we keep implementing everybody's everybody's idea um and it's peace meal and and wondering, you know, you see a lot of the bills that have come forth is that we implemented everything. I don't know that we have any

019money left to even pay our teachers to do the job. Yes. So, um, these are things that I hope that the DOE will really look at and to see, is there a problem and is this going to solve the problem? >> Um, we don't see a problem. Um, and this is, like you said, it's not our our bill. Um, we um, you know, we are willing to work with partners if necessary. Um but this would require us to um put uh efforts or resources towards this which is um you know would >> then that's why part of our testimony is like if it were to go through um which we're not it's not our bill um then we um think the scale is too large to begin with based on some of our past experiences.

020that you trying to be so nice to everybody that at some point DOA has to put their foot down to say you know what this is great but you know where's the money going to come from so do you know how much this program is going to cost >> no >> okay so we don't have a number to be here >> yeah was introduced blank so that's that's another difficulty because then how do we sustain this you know once you do a program then people feel entitled and then it's very difficult to undo it >> we we agree it [clears throat] would be difficult. >> Here's another question. So, what other literacy options is DOE um exploring? Because we do know that there are districts and schools where students are graduating and they're not graduating

021with a 12th grade >> reading ability. I think what what other options would DOE being proactive about because you're going to constantly see these measures come out because there's that sense that it's not adequate, right? >> So, I think um that's a large part of our comprehensive literacy reading grant that we received for 60 million over five years. And so uh we are looking in terms of the instruction that happens to be in line with the science of reading and um and as part of that plan the schools do reach out to their families and um they're also looking into coaching that they provide for teachers because really what happens in the classroom impacts their learning. But in addition to that, um it also to support literacy, they're able to use some um funds for

022resources. For example, for our CLSD1 program, um we had schools engage with families for family nights. They gave out um books that they could add to their family libraries. Uh we had different opportunities for engagement. So, um, and, um, one thing we always do is our summer, um, our summer fun reading book. I don't know if, um, you were able to see that, um, but we, we have many schools who, uh, provide that for their students. And they have like stickers in the back. And what's really neat about it is it's in both um, English and OLO. So, it's like a dual language summer reading like booklet that the students can engage with. So, those are some examples. >> I know the library does a good job with their summer reading program as well. So,

023yes, certainly appreciate it. I know we took part in that when my son was little. Um, so $60 million grant, when did that start? >> Um, we're in the second year, I believe. >> And do you have a list of what where the funds have gone and where they're going? I well yes we do. >> Okay. You can provide the committee with that information. >> Um you know as you know then you folks spoke spoke uh opposing the uh student book um authorship that I have the bill. I mean, these are additional things that are low cost that can help as far as literacy and having a student project that not only is literacy but encompasses all the other types of learning that go on in the school in addition um allow the students to

024be able to um share their story to be proud. I know if you attended and I know superintendent attended the Kalama. >> I was there. You were there too. I was there. It was terrific, >> right? And they had those 12 kids standing up there and they were so proud and their parents were so proud. Now multiply that by every fifth grader in in the state having that same feeling and and that's what we're hoping that in addition to this types of um projects that you folks have that we do the simple things that can be incorporated into the curriculum that really don't cost a lot. Right. We we do know of many teachers who already do that um in their classrooms. >> Yes. And I'm just bringing bringing you folks examples of stuff that

025have been pouring in. Obviously, this is the bookkeep that has been doing this and then it got stopped with the new principal that came in. It got stopped. They don't do it anymore. And it's not an individual book, but it's each student. But these are some projects that are going on. I got one from Nana Kouli and they did it with just paper and a bind binding. >> As a as a teacher, former teacher, my students published a lot of their own books, you know, with the Hawaii writing project and the writing process and to promote literacy and um so I think you know that's still highly encouraged for students to do. >> Moves me when you folks came out in opposition and said well the cost and the time your schools are doing it.

026they're not doing it consistently and they're doing it more as a group but this whole thing. Um so I would hope that you folks would be looking at that to have comments and not necessarily oppose like you did in that measure. But let me ask you this other question. Um have you folks looked at other types of literacy options like um virtual coaching literacy coaching? >> Um not specifically virtual coaching. Um our coaches usually go into the classroom um and they they interact with you know the teacher observe the students. Uh we do have some technology um where um and this might not be specifically to literacy but coaching in general and mentoring. They have some technology devices that um kind of can record um the teacher as they do instruction and as they help

027and assist students and that kind of like follows you around. I think some teachers have used it when they applied for the national board certification, but that's a possible tool that could be used for virtual coaching if someone else were to view that. But we in particular um that's not been one of the things we've been >> well I recently was invited to the president's office with an individual local person who's on the mainland and is involved in this and they actually have this this um virtual virtual coaching um >> um I guess for lack of word app that they use that have had tremendous results and they're I guess they're they're piloting in uh Kauaii as well as Kame School and my understanding is that they have a federal grant of four million dollars

028over four years and they've been trying to get DOE to even look at it and apply for the grant and they have been having difficulty. So these are the kinds of things and I know I just found out today I'm talking to the president that some stuff is moving but it takes us so long to look at what are these options and it's $20 a child per year per year which and that grant could cover 50,000 students. So these are the kinds of options that we're looking at that I hope DOE is looking at as far as math as far as literacy because you know it's great to have live coaches but we cannot provide enough live coaches for every student >> and especially the ones that really need it and at the cost. So

029instead of peacemealing and putting giving you three people, three coaches for the entire state, we need to be looking at what are some of the resources out there and what are the grants that can help us to pay for this. >> Yes. and and um regarding the what you're talking about um and the innovation grant that is available. We we are on that >> finally >> and well it didn't come out that long ago but >> when we met >> but any but anyway um the rep is also doing some um or we're asking her to do some demonstrations and um like with other projects start possibly starting a pilot. We did look to see if some of these um AI based tools could also serve as um a dyslexia sensitive screener because we would

030we wouldn't want all of these individuals. So those are all of the considerations and and we're on that way >> because when we met they were concerned because the deadline was looming and they had been in conversations and that it never got up to the top level of of DOE and so that's why we were in that meeting and at that meeting we actually called in the board of education rep who happened to be on around and he didn't know anything about it and so he got on it and so because of that now you guys are finally on it but that's the kind of concern that we have and there was another uh one I'd say they talked about that uh Hawaii never never even applied for and that was too bad. So these

031are these are opportunities out there that we need DOE to to be aware and take advantage of. >> Absolutely. And then like for the CLSD grant, we did take advantage and got a lot of money. So we do see the value of of taking advantage of those opportunities. So, I hope that we'll be here next year and you guys can can elaborate on the pilots that we might be doing in this area and that hopefully we can even do that in the ma area of math >> because I know we have a bill for math coaches but I want to see a more comprehensive plan and not peacemeal physicians and you know three math coaches is not going to going to solve what we need to. >> Not at all. >> Yeah. >> Right. Thank

032you. All members. >> Yes, please. Thank you. Um, so it sounds like according to your testimony, you folks are in support with comments, but basically in support >> for the literacy labs. >> We support we support the intent. Um, and if we are required to do it, if the bill does move forward, then we request that the scaling go down because it will require us to take attention away from other things to figure out how to do this >> be stronger on some of these. >> So, yes, we prefer not to do >> well, you not that nice on on the on the uh book uh authorship book. So, you you can do that across the board at times as well. >> Yeah. Well, what I think that this bill might be signaling is that

033there's a greater need for this kind of education um in the department in the schools. So, um although this might need some tweaking and we might need to, you know, maybe lessen some of the appropriations, what I think it's signaling is that the schools are not doing enough during the school time. So, then we have to create other programs after or maybe during the off time or things like that. So, I feel like that's what it's signaling. Now, that might not be the impression that you folks are getting, but I think the department should be um more uh fronting with their uh fiscally front thinking to see how we can save more money because if this bill does go through and we do have to appropriate more money, that's just more money to the department

034where I think it would save taxpayers more if we just kind of tighten up and maybe address some of these issues during the school period. Thank you. >> Oh, did you want to respond? >> Uh, did you have a question? >> Uh, sure. So, the question is, um, this bill to me is signaling that the department is not doing their job, that there is not enough strong literacy or programs that they feel are fitting the needs of the students at the capacity that needs to be met. >> Okay. So um this past past year two years ago well this past year we we are implementing what we're calling our literacy levers and we do have those in math as well and those are our high yield strategies the tier one instruction it does include coaching

035but for literacy through the CLSD grant we and this is coaching for teach for staff not for students um um high quality instructional materials and then um not Not only saying the science of reading, but what is the um continued professional development and support that we can give the teachers to ensure that those science of reading strategies are implemented in those early grades so that we can um keep from the beginning get students the basic literacy skills they need to to progress. So, we do have robust um literacy levers that we are implementing statewide and we do anticipate that they um will have a positive effect on on student growth and proficiency. >> Okay. Well, well, that's not what I'm getting out of the introduction of this bill. This bill to me is saying that

036you folks are not doing enough and there's more that needs to be done. Okay. So, yes. Thank you. Thank you, John. >> And hopefully we'll look into some of the other types of resources that we talked about. >> Correct. Yes. Thank you. >> Oh, also I apologize if I can just share one note. Actually, speaking of tutoring, um there's a program that Lehoku Elementary is doing. It's called Ignite Ignite Tutoring. Um and right now there's 30 students that are participating and 90% of the students have hit their 70% target. That is costing $30,000 a year and they have full participation. It is a virtual process. Uh so again, it's efficient, it's cost savings. um it seems to be working very well in my community. So, if we could think of more of those kind of

037fiscally responsible programs, I think that there would be um a lot more support. Thank you. Thank you. >> And Senator, that's exactly what the one literacy program and with with a grant of $4 million actually coming with it. So, yeah, that would be excellent. Thank you. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, next question. Next um next bill. House Bill 2297 uh updates Hawaii's statutory framework for adult and community education programs to ensure alignment with federal funding requirements and current best practices in those programs. Um, first >> testifier again, DOE, Kayashi, >> Check him, uh, Senator Hashimoto, Senator the Court, Keith Aayashi, Superintendent, Department of Education. Uh, department stands on it on its written testimony in support of this measure. Uh, Hawaii State Department of Education strongly supports HB2297HD1, which updates the scope

038and department's adult education programs to align with the Federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, or AFLA, Title 2 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act. The amendments to section 302A 443, Hawaii Revised Statutes not only aligns with federal AFLA grant requirements, but also aligns the department's priority to enable all students to be globally competitive and locally committed. There is greater emphasis on workforce readiness and workforce development providing underskilled individuals with educational activities activities to develop the skills necessary to be gainfully employed. The amendments that we're offering also align the basic and secondary education programs with the department's K12 programs and provide for family and community literacy that includes financial literacy and health and wellness instruction. Thus, the education programs enable adult learners to develop the foundational skills necessary to be productive in home and

039in work life. Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony. You stand by for any questions. >> Thank you. >> Uh Louis Hokana in support Helen San. >> Okay. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Okay, questions. Helen, can you come? I know we've talked about similar things before. Um, how many how many adults go through the program yearly? I about 6,000 if you count um not only the NRS students that are required when we report to the federal government but we offer other classes such as workplace um literacy and >> are we able to accommodate all that sign up or register? >> Yes, we are. We have 10 campus well both schools together have over 10 campuses throughout [clears throat] the state. >> So that's McKinley and we're >> correct. Farington

040have have one, >> right? Fington comes under McKinley. >> Oh, I see. Yes. They come under McKinley. Oh, I see. >> McKinley has Fington, Moana, Maui, Mulan. They're in there. >> Yeah. Right. I know. A lot of people take advantage of that. >> Yeah. Especially the GED for Fington. That's really a strong program. >> Right. So, um what what changed at the federal level that requires this measure? >> Oh, the language. It's outdated and it doesn't include workforce or workplace uh literacy. So we it's really important that we change the language to be in sync with what the federal government is requiring us to do. >> Okay. >> And is there any cost to this? >> No cost. >> Okay. Well, thank you. We appreciate having no cost. Okay. >> Question. I'll come back. >>

041Helen, hold on. >> So Helen, if we update these standards, are we going to be able to access more federal funds or what's what's the upside other than it's old? I think what'll happen is they'll continue um providing us with the necessary funds to continue our programs. >> So that potentially is in jeopardy if we don't update. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. >> But there's no more new funds that you could access. >> I wish. [laughter] >> Would be nice. Thank you. >> Talk to your congressman. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Okay. No other questions. We're moving on to House Bill 2122. House draft one. uh establishes the teacher housing assistance program to provide housing vouchers to certain eligible [clears throat] teachers appropriate funds out of the teachers housing revolving fund. Uh we have [clears throat] again

042Keith Hayashi from DOE Sean Chair Kim Senator Dort and Senator Hashimoto Shan Bacon speaking on behalf of the Department of Education. We stand on our written testimony providing comments. And just to expand a little bit, the department really supports the intent which um aims to address our teacher recruitment and retention um issues by establishing this teacher housing voucher. We recognize really the high cost of living here within this the state of Hawaii. Um and this could be one of the barriers um to to help. I think um we do highlight in our testimony though that this does would require some additional administrative resources I think to run this program. Um trying to determine eligibility, monitoring the um it would require them to um work in a hard to staff location for up to 5 years

043and monitoring that and any failure to do that would require a repayment. So there would be additional monitoring that would need to happen during this time. But we definitely support the intent and are available for any questions. >> Okay. Thank you. Edno charter schools not here. Um Jan Mau uh Joy Bolan comments. Aloha chair and senator Sarah Milan on behalf of HSCA. So, I've been teaching public title one schools for 21 years. I have a degree and a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. Um, I also got my certification through Teach for America because I believe in public service. Um, I'm one of your state's few computer science teachers and I make $55,000 a year. And I say that to say for my rent in Wii, I stay right below the comp. I pay 3,000

044a month for my rent and I have two children under three. So, that that daycare is about another $3,000. So, my teacher salary does not even pay housing and childare. [laughter] I mean, here's the thing. You offer I know I know, but I love what I do and [laughter] >> but I think about that. But I mean, that happens. I've had other people offer me to be like, "Hey, Millie, here's your card." Just being in this building as a teacher lobbyist being like, "I would pay you way much more to do other things. I love what I do and I'm good at what I do and I want to keep doing it." And I'm I'm mid-career educator. So, how do I coach these new teachers? I mean, so I'm also the Leeward chapter president. So

0453,000 teachers from Macaha to Pearl City, like I kind of help them with an HSTA and they're living five to a to a two-bedroom as new teachers. Um they're taking Zoom meetings from their cars because they can't go ahead and have residency and how do I encourage the next generation of teachers if they don't have housing. So please support. >> Okay. Um Sher Manor chamber. >> Hi. Good afternoon chair, members of the committee, chamber stand on testimony and support. >> Okay. We have Luke Noa G in support on Zoom. Hi Luke. >> Hi. Aloha. Senator Kim, Senator uh Senator Court, and Senator Hashimoto. Uh my name is Luke Noha Gi. I am a junior or 11th grader at Kala High School on the Big Island of Havi. And um I stand before you today in

046strong support of HB 2122. And um the main reason why I'm here is because I like to talk to my teachers a lot. And when they tell me like, "Oh, what is it like to be a teacher?" I often hear about the struggles that they have to go through, especially living here in Havi in a place with such high cost of living. And the number one thing that I hear is that housing is the biggest issue for them. For every single teacher that I have talked to about what makes teaching hard for them, they always tell me that they cannot afford to live here or they cannot afford to live on a teacher salary and afford all the housing that has to do um in our place. A lot of teachers that I know have

047to live with have to live in multi- um have to live with other roommates who are other teachers who live in studios. And really I think that we should be supporting our teachers because when we support our teachers, we support our students and as students I understand just how much teachers matter every single day and they don't they only support us more than academically but also personally. So I respectfully urge you to support HB2122. Mahalo. >> Look, are you going to be a teacher? >> [laughter] >> Not after he found about the pain. >> Yeah. No, that's >> I want to I want to, but I'm trying to I'm trying to set myself up for later. >> Okay. Well, we appreciate your your testimony today. Well done. Thank you. Uh Mia Nishiuchi on Zoom. >>

048Not present on Zoom. Chair, >> thank you. Uh let's see. We have 2 4 6 8 nine others in support. Uh anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure? Okay. Hearing none, we are open for questions. Members, any questions? Yes, I have a couple questions. Who should I ask this to? Um did we hear from >> They're not here. >> Oh, >> yeah. >> Jay and Mustard. >> Go ahead. This Jesse, maybe you can come up. I know this is not your bill, but hopefully you know this. >> So, how how much is in the U the housing revolving fund right now? The teacher housing revolving fund. Is it substantial? >> You know, I just don't know the answer. >> That's under you, right? >> You administer fund is Yes, it is. Yeah. >>

049Okay. >> I don't have that information in front of me. I'm sorry. >> Just anecdotally though, you have is there enough to support this kind of thing? vouchers because I think that my concern is we you guys were coming in in your this year's budget for the the fixing up of the cottages, right? >> That's right. >> And you guys didn't have enough money in the revolving fund to pay for that, right? >> We needed money to help. Yeah. >> But you guys were going to tap into the fund first. >> Um that's part of it. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Maybe you can get that to us. >> I will. Thank you. >> So, why don't you stay there then? Um what kind of what kind of inventory do you think

050the state has um to be able to because obviously we're not going to be able to build all the housing that teacher housing. So it's if you give vouchers out for for rents, rental assistance, are there enough supply out there for at at what what we can afford to to pay for teachers that need housing in some of these areas? I haven't done an analysis on this particular bill, but um the vouchers can help with rentals. Uh you know, there are other issues affecting the supply of rentals out in the market. Uh supply is an issue. Um SFA is here. They're working on housing. Uh so that helps increase supply. U the vouchers can help though. >> Okay. Well, again, and you know, this is a particular bill, but I would hope that DOE looking

051at all all everything, it's like, you know, what are options for teachers? What are option for teacher housing? Is there enough inventory out there? Um that even if we we pass this and and they given them funding, but if they can't go anywhere to rent um for that kind of funds, then where are we, right? And if we have to build, then what's that? So I would hope that you guys are looking at all the aspects. Um there's enough of you folks in in administration that you should have people that are looking at all these things. >> Yeah, it's part of a larger package. I think what what you're getting at the vouchers is one part. We have the Lahina housing on Maui that's opened up and it's taking um applications and rentals. There's the

052housing that SFA is working on uh Milani. So there's there's projects that you know we're helping to coordinate. That's not our major mission at DOE to build housing, but that's some of it. Um we do rely on our partners to get housing out there. >> Okay. Well, there's a lot of things that you folks are doing that's not your major mission and you folks are doing it. So we keep accepting all of these added added things and there's many bills which I'm not going to hear because I don't necessarily think that it's the role of DOE should be doing it. But I think you guys got to do a better job in in letting us know what is your role and and you need to focus in on that role and do the best you

053can because now it's like you're master of everything, right? We're jack of all trades and master of none. So >> I agree. >> Thank you. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Go ahead. >> So for the for the Lahina um housing, is that under your shop or is that under somebody else? Well, that was started before me in our shop though. Yeah. >> But the maintenance and the ongoing rentals that's that's through you. >> So what is so how is that working? Because is there no issues with collective bargaining on and those or are you teach are you using that as just similar to how you're using the teacher cottages >> because I know I don't know if you if you read through the testimony collective bargaining chief negotiator as concerns with this particular bill but I

054don't know if how we're getting around that in with Lahina Housing. Well, for for housing projects generally, my understanding um working on past projects is that uh there aren't, you know, there aren't union jobs involved in housing projects necessarily. Um for this particular project, the Lina housing that there's um there's a a development and operation agreement for a period of time and then we'll need to figure out what we do after that. No, I mean what? So, are you giving this I guess the question is if you give it for free to a a teacher that works for the DOE that's probably a fringe benefit, right? >> Well, the for the Lahina housing is not free. It's a >> Is it discounted? >> Yeah, it's like affordable rent. Yeah. >> Okay. So, but you guys

055aren't considering that a fringe benefit then. It's just >> No, we're not treating that. >> We're paying the full amount, but you got you just happen to have to be a teacher, >> right? It's developed to be affordable. >> Okay. So is that is that the way that the DOE is trying to figure out that's the best way to move forward with other developments or >> in that particular project it was to meet a particular need after the Lahina wildfires. Um >> I'm not sure that's a programmatic thing we're going to be doing moving forward building housing workforce >> housing probably you're going to rely on SFA then >> that's their in their wheelhouse. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you chair questions for [clears throat] >> Yeah. Thank you. Uh in your testimony, you had shared

056that the passing of this measure would require additional staff um resources, uh process application, verify ele eligibility, administer program, that kind of stuff. Um any idea how much you folks will need or how much something like that is going to cost? >> I have to defer to Shauna on that. >> Thank you for the question. I think it's something we're going to really have to look at, but I think it may involve several areas of the department between Office of Human Resources where we're actually going to be needing to evaluate the criteria, uh, working with our payroll department to ensure that the vouchers go out on a, uh, monthly basis. Going to have to evaluate on a monthly basis, too, to make sure that they continue to meet the criterion eligibility. Also, it talks about

057that in in the event that they did didn't receive the voucher and then didn't meet the criteria um that there's a repayment process and we may have to be working with uh loan recovery um experts too. So, I think that there it would require several additional staff staff members to be able to run and operate this appropriately. >> Yeah, cuz the vouchers it just seems to me like the incentive it's kind of like lowhanging fruit, right, for the teachers. um is to be able to have those vouchers to help subsidize their housing costs. Um and so um >> because it talks about that you could use it for rent or for a mortgage or other types of things. >> I think that we need you know we want to make sure we want to make

058sure it's not going to impact the department's current budget. I mean there is it's blanked out at this point right now how much money would actually be appropriated for this. We'd have to then determine an appropriate voucher amount and and work through that. But it would be an additional administrative burden on the department to run this program. Okay. But we but we support the intent because we you know it helps to support our mission of recruitment and retention of our educators here in our schools. >> Yeah. But supporting the intent is good, but then to backdoor that with now we need more money and more staff. Like that's the the scary part is and I understand that these things do take manpower. I understand that. Um, but uh we've got to find incentives for these

059teachers somewhere. Um, and I don't know if tweaking your guys' budget or or something, but we need to really come to the table to figure out how we're going to incentivize the teachers to continue to be teachers. And for the ones that want to be teachers, but maybe they can't afford to be teachers, uh, there has to be something a little bit more um, beneficial for them. So, thank you. Thank you for that. Thank you, >> Chair. Okay. So, [clears throat] why aren't we looking at why why is the DOE looking at the bigger picture? And I think that's why we're in the situation we're in now because you know what? That's not supposed to be in your wheelhouse. You shouldn't even be saying, "Oh, we're going to work on this. Yeah, we support this,

060but you know what? This belongs in the housing department. We we're not there to determine what the subsidies are going to be, who's going to elig." That's what housing does. They do it for affordable. They do it for all of that. So DOE needs to start looking and saying, you know what, this we support this as teacher housing, but the implementation of this program belongs in the housing department. So our your your testimony should be saying and you should be telling legislators that they need to put it in the proper place because why are we going to create a little mini housing um group in in DOE? Again, that's just one more thing that you guys got to do, right? And that's not in your wheelhouse. So, let's get with the program and say, you

061know what, legislators get it right. We got we got to put it in the right place because they have the personnel, they understand the market, they all of that, right? So >> you guys got to focus in on some of this stuff so that it's not keep accepting all of these things because it's so easy for legislators to want to throw everything into DOE and you folks are sitting there accepting it passively or passively saying oh no you know we don't think it but we'll we'll take it if you give us more money. No, that shouldn't even be in your wheelhouse at this point. >> Understand? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Senator. Um, SFA Ricky, can you call up? >> Sure. >> County School Facilities Authority. >> So, Ricky, do we have do

062we have inventory to support a voucher system for teacher rentals or teacher um housing? >> So, these remote areas has 55 units that are really should be torn down and rebuilt. Um, >> what what should be torn down and rebuilt? >> The cottages. Oh, you're talking about the >> Unfortunately, I used to run this. There are 55 units. Half of them should be torn down. The balance of the fund is about $300,000. That's all there is in there. So, so yeah, there these are remote areas. >> Yeah. So, why are we in that sit this situation? >> I think it was um it was under public housing. It was taken over a long time ago by a superintendent who decided they should take that responsibility and it's just this legacy since then. It really should

063be belong somewhere else. >> So again, uh DOE taking on areas that they really shouldn't be taking on. >> Yeah, this was like two superintendent ago that took it on and it should be somewhere else. But it seems like that's a that's a pattern with DOE wanting to help, wanting to, you know, I'm not trying to be crit criticizing in the sense that it's bad, but it really doesn't at the end of the day, we're we're not helping the situation by trying to take it over and not being able to do a good job about it and not having the right personnel to do it. >> There's no scale. >> Yes. >> So, it's just one person, a revolving position that's not permanent, >> right? who just does that with the 55 cottages. It's a

064really difficult situation. >> So, as far as though besides the cottages, is there uh in the marketplace, private marketplace? I mean, everybody's >> Yeah, these are remote areas where no developer would be interested in building. There's no many options. The best is someone with a house who has a room that's willing to lend it to. >> Even if we gave them a voucher, they wouldn't >> be hard for them to >> for the remote areas. >> Absolutely. Yes. >> And how many units at Milani you folks are building? >> Well, >> or >> there are 95 units planned, but we will line up with liked public housing financing affordability like everybody else. Without a significant state site bin, it is a challenging to build because affordable housing doesn't pencil out which I've been told many

065times. [laughter] >> Questions. >> Okay. Maybe if we freed up some money, we could have it. Maybe if we get our >> any amount would help to push it along. >> Medicaid reimbursements, we could have some more money. But >> okay, push it. Wait. You done? Okay. Thank you. Okay. Anyone else? Any other questions? If not, okay. >> House Bill 2345, House draft 1, relating to school facilities. We should have kept these people up here. requires the school facilities authority to establish geographically based capital improvement project district for the localized management of deferred maintenance transfers um all deferred maintenance functions funds and vacant facility development branch positions from the department of education to the school facilities authority and kayashi [clears throat] >> good afternoon chair senator Senators Jesse Suki, Deputy Superintendent of Operations for the

066Department of Education. We rise in opposition to this bill. We submitted testimony and will rest on that. But just sort of um summary, uh the department's deferred maintenance program is organized around geographically based school districts. Uh supported by the facilities maintenance branch on Aahu and uh DAGs on the neighbor islands. We have district project coordinators that serve the school-f facing extensions of the department providing on the ground coordination and responsiveness um in the areas um where they are employed. >> Thank you BOE here in the comments. Stacy Aldrich. Am I the right? >> I'm sorry. I'm on the wrong tag. >> I'm one one below. Sorry. [laughter] >> Keith Reagan didn't mean to scare you guys. [laughter] [clears throat] >> Keith Reagan from DS. Ricky. >> Thank you. Ricky Fuji County School Facilities Authority. We

067offer comments that the right structure is decentralization and localization. The idea is one level of accountability to someone living in the district. Give them in the private sector. We call it P&L responsibility, profit and loss. We give that same budgetary person to the person on Kawaii, Maui, Big Island. They can make the decision right there whether to expend funds if something is broken. One level of accountability. decentralization is the right model for the structure. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh Joy Bulisan for FLCIO HGA here. Um Kamaka Kaimoa WPW testifying comments. Ted man in support. Anyone else wishing to testify on House Bill 2345? Hearing none members questions. Okay, I do have questions. Who shall I start with? How about we start with Dewey? So, you know, we've been talking about CIP from DOE for a

068while now, and I don't see anything that DOE has really submitted to us to show us that you have a handle on all of this. So, can you you know I mean I I just read what you said to to civil beat that um this bill really is a solution without a problem or one of these CIP bills. Um and that the department already has a software needed to track quality and funding of facilities said deputy superintendent Jesse Suki and able to oversee its deferred maintenance projects to managers working on in China. Yet we are bombarded with these kinds of measures, bills, calls. People are upset that things are not getting done. We have backlogs. I mean, you haven't even provided me with updated lists that we can look at. So, I don't know how

069you can make these statements when we're still in disarray. >> So, it's a big problem. And I think we we all know that. >> But you said it's not a problem. [laughter] Well, I think there's no solution without a problem until you acknowledge it's a problem. I don't know that we're kind of we have we can deal with it and then you come and you don't give us all the numbers and stuff. >> So, that that was I think from one of the hearings on a on a bill. I I can't recall which bill it was, but um there are four over 4,000 facilities. The the facilities are old. what I was talking about when I say that, you know, we have a handle on it. We're working on it is that, you know, we

070have the list of deferred maintenance. We shared that with your office today. Um we're specifically talking about deferred maintenance. Now, um those lists are known. um they worked on with um our office at OO and the complex area superintendent on and principles on prioritizing which one of those during any budget cycle, you know, is going to rise to the top of the list. You know, we apply the equitable approach that the board has as a policy so that we're spending about equally in all of the areas. And based on that, we ask for a budget appropriation according to our six-year plan that we submit to the legislature, which is about 200 million for deferred maintenance. Um, every year in the last plan, we submitted October 2025. >> How much did you submit for? >> That's

071um this one, >> the latest one that for this budget, how much did you how much is it the bottom line that you're asking for? So for fiscal year 27 um we planned uh 200 billion and then 28 29 200 million 200 million and then fiscal year 30 and 31 150 million each and that's in our sixyear um program. So for the um deferred maintenance um it's a 200 million and it's um described in our our plan. So those are um prioritize the deferred maintenance list among the different um schools and districts and then we um ask for an appropriation uh based on that. Whether or not we get it to do those projects um depends on the cycle. So, >> so what is the total uh reported backlog of your CIPs >> of the

072just the deferred maintenance >> CIP the CIP funds? What is the reported backlog? So it's it's difficult to answer that question because it really depends on what we're looking at and what we measuring. So >> okay, let's make it simple. DOE unspent CIP funds. >> Unspent. So, for fiscal year 27 supplemental CIP budget, um we have 784 million approximately that we're spending on and that's in our um capital improvement project budget that we submit to the to the board and we break that down in our budget ask that the board approved um for fiscal year 2027. That's a supplemental budget that we're asking for. And when you look at um deferred maintenance, you know, we are we're asking for the 200 million and whether or not we get that, you know, that's that's another another

073question. I can provide this to you, but it's online. >> So, what is the obligated CIP funds total? >> Obligated >> CIP funds. >> I can get that to you. I don't have that in front of me. >> [sighs] >> There is that outstanding request we have from you um that we working on asking you right now. What is the obligated CIP funds? >> Okay, we'll get that to you. I think it's >> about 1 072 million. I mean it's interesting how I get these numbers and you don't. And then the unspent DOE cip 2.7 million billion I'm sorry 2.7 billion. Thank you. Okay. So the obligated is yeah billions. Yeah we can confirm that for you. I'm not sure where those numbers are coming from but we can we've got the list that um

074you've asked us to provide. We're working with your office. You should get that on Monday. that's um staff has been going through that and that tells the obligated and >> as a snapshot >> you're making a case that we should not be taking this away then we need to feel confident that you folks know exactly how much where we're at what you're doing about it but you you can't even provide that information to us when we ask and you know I'm asking questions that I probably already know the answer and if I know the answer then why don't you know the answer >> because we want to be precise precise and the numbers. >> I'm not asking for precise. I'm asking for an idea whether it's 1.7 billion or 2.3 billion. Give us give me

075some idea. So maybe you're saying just two billion, but give me an idea. Where are we at? >> I I don't want to throw out numbers. I'm sorry. I want to be precise. We're providing you with the worksheets you wanted and that'll have precise numbers as that snapshot in time. Can you >> I mean, you hire people supposedly that can deal with all of this. So, I'm just asking that when you you guys know the bills, you're making a case, you have your testimony, you're opposing it, which is fine, but give us reasons why we should keep it with you, you know, and if you come without the numbers, if you come without giving us all of this stuff, then we're not going to we're not going to support what you're telling us. you got

076to give us reasons to do this and if and we don't we don't have a lot of time for you keep coming back to us and we've gone back and forth I know my staff has gone back and forth it's taken a lot of time to just get stuff so it's it's it's very frustrating and you know I'm I I'm trying not to come down and and and and but I it's to the point where come on we're talking about billions of dollars here Right. And all we all we ask is that you give us the information and you should have this information. >> Um Senator, if my correct me if I'm wrong if I'm if I'm understanding correctly, Senator, um your staff has been working with our with uh Deputy Suki's office and um

077the what was requested of us. I believe we did provide the information and the request subsequently might have changed. So we are working we'll get that most current request okay to Senator Kim's office by Monday. >> Okay. Well when things change you know from the time we spoke with you till now it didn't change that much. So what are the numbers you told us then then? Where where's that? >> I mean yes you gave it to us but can you tell for the public? >> I I that you can't you can't you're not ready for it. >> Okay. Questions? Senator, >> so I guess when you [clears throat] when you talk about these district level project coordinators, right? What what what is the vision and what and you you say they have it under control,

078but I guess what is the ultimate goal, you know, of where you guys want to be? what what is what is the metric that you're going to use to to make sure that there is some type of improvement from this year or past years into the future so that we we understand collectively what the definition of success is maybe we'll start from there >> well we have a there's a lot of projects >> no I know there's a lot of projects I think I think what when you when we turn all these numbers what I what we got to grasp especially that 200 million I I'll let you finish but with that 200 million what we really need to understand is what can you actually spend you can ask for 200 million if we give

079you 200 million million. I don't know if you can actually spend the 200 million, right? But but factor that in to your response, >> right? So what what we can spend is what we request in our our budget. And so that is in the board approved budget that uh >> you think you can spend 200 million? >> Well, we have the projects itemized in here about what we're doing and over the course of the bienium, we can spend, you know, if we're appropriated, we can spend it on the projects that we've identified. >> But I guess the question is is with these district coordinators, are are they what is the timeline of them? Yes, you might have the money, but then what is what is the timeline for them to actually expend the money right

080out the door? Not just encumber expend and and the project completed because I'm sure you know when when we start to give you 200 million 200 million at some point they're just going to have too many projects. And so that's what we're trying to understand. When are you going to get a handle on what is it that we can actually get through the system in a timely manner and what what are those metrics that we should be able to see over a course of a period of time so that we have some level of confidence that things are are flowing right and I know I know you have your challenges with with personnel. >> Yes, challenging u so the projects we've identified are the projects we plan that we can complete. That's why we're asking

081for funding for these particular projects. And then you know through the sess legislative session there are other add-ons and changes and so then we have to reassess what we can can do at the outcome of the legislative session. Um but we we are confident about the projects we identify that we can >> so so why is the chair bringing up such a high unspent balance then? because we're we're looking at and that's why I'm hesitant to provide just numbers off the top of my head. Um because I'm responsible, you know, I I don't know where the other numbers come from, but I'm responsible. So, I cannot just put numbers off the top of my head, but there's different ways of looking at it. There's these old projects that were sort of line items that are

082collection of projects that are um you know in different phases of uh planning and no money for construction yet and um you know or you know can't be completed yet need completion funds and that that's the table that the staff is putting together or put together and you know >> and that's great. I I think having that data is good, but I think what what I personally I can't speak for the rest of the members. What I personally would like to see is what is your timeline on cleaning that all up? I understand that you're new to this, but great now that you can look at a new set of eyes, but what is the timeline of us closing those discrepancies, right? And and making sure that okay, there's we're all going to be clear.

083This is the number. This is how it's derived. Whatever numbers are out there, you have to debunk that those numbers are wrong or else we're going to believe what people are going to tell us, right? But you got to be clear on how we're going to get to that. >> I agree. And these are these are the projects of the highest need identified by the department working with the schools. >> No, I understand moving forward what you're going to need. But I think what we're we're really asking is do we have the handle on all the unspent funds, >> right? Because what we would love to you to say is okay, there is no unspent funds. It's all spent. >> But I don't know if we can say that at this point. Right. >> Right.

084And so if we're talking about unspent funds, then we're talking about appropriations that have been made that we are currently putting into contracts to get projects done. So we are on course to um get all of our money into contracts. So we have very minimal laps um moving forward for the projects that are identified. So you know we are comfortable with those. So that's a different question from this backlog um of projects and it's a different question from um you know if we had all the money in the world and we fixed everything how much you know could we deferred maintenance in a in a larger you know way. No, I I get it. And I I think what it's a level of confidence, right? Because if we know if there's a level of confidence

085that things can get done, I think I think then the the whole point is that we will fight to get you more money, but if there's a level of confidence that it's going to drag out and out and out, right? Then we're just going to keep waiting and we're going to be like, okay, well, we can wait till next year and then and it's a snowball effect, right? So, I think >> getting the correct information to me is really critical because then we can we can say your numbers are solid, right? And I don't know if we're at that point. And I think that was the whole point of a lot of these bills is that we just need to we need to clean this all up. And I think that's the whole conversation, the

086interplay that we've been having. But I I think we just need to be clear, right? >> Because I think a lot of numbers are being thrown around today. >> Yeah. Yeah. And so, you know, the the deferred maintenance list that we provide um to senators chair's office today um that has all the um amounts um and the identified deferred maintenance for each of the um complex areas. >> Well, that's good. And and I think hopefully we can keep that list up, right, in terms of it it shouldn't take us months and months to figure out. Maybe maybe we can figure out how do we streamline it so that we we know on a on a rolling basis what what is our situation, right? >> Right. And then one one thing that we're working on is

087[cough and clears throat] not not related to this bill, but we we're trying to um look at the um the apps, the tech tech we have, you know, the CPT you hear about and the maximum which does R&M and CPT which does the CIP. Um those are douful upgrades. Um and so we're looking at, you know, not just upgrading it, but how we get value from making changes to it, especially with sort of the outward facing um reporting part. It's a bit clunky. you know, we'd like it to be um clearer and more transparent. >> Okay. Well, hopefully you can wrap this all up and and then we can all be all clear on what what is the situation at this point >> um and hopefully soon so at least we can go into conference

088knowing what what is the situational analysis of the >> DOE. >> All right. Thank you, chair. So there there's two there's two trains of thought going on right now. one is yes we want to know the exact numbers or close to that as to what is out there which is what we've been working on but what I'm asking and what we're asking today is you know and you talk about contracts yeah you're going to put everything into contract but that's how we are into the situation where we have all of these monies that's encumbered in contracts and it's not completed for whatever reasons. So just putting these monies, these millions of dollars into contracts doesn't necessarily say it's going to get done. And that's what I'm trying to find out from you. Not necessarily the

089exact amount of $2 billion, but what is the sense of the of of the amount that's sitting out there and what you are capable of doing? You're saying you're able to do $2 million each year um to for these projects, but you're not even addressing all the other projects that have not been completed. Are you able to do that? How are we going to bring that numbers down? So, I'm trying to get a sense from you folks as to where are we at in all of these buckets and whether or not you're capable of addressing these projects >> and not necessarily Oh, I don't want to throw out numbers on the top of my head. That that part is in here. Yeah. >> Part I'm asking you now is where are we? How big is

090this elephant? And you're asking every year 200 million. Every year that DOE has asked, there's a portion of that that didn't get done and they keep adding to this unspent, keep adding to this backlog of projects that is just sitting there and the monies are sitting there. So, I'm trying to get a handle of it and if you don't have a handle of it, then you we don't have confidence that you folks can do this. That's why these bills are here. If if I could clarify um I think over the past couple of years with the movement of um line item to lump sum because of the legislaturator's help on that I think the team has been delivering projects and have been reporting in the reports of the board um just about quarterly on on

091the amount of projects that they're completing and it's you know hundreds it's a lot of >> but it's more than in the past and so the projects that are being completed again are the priority priority projects that I are identified in coordination with the schools, the complex areas and and legislators um to get those priority projects done. And then you know there's all those line items from the past that you know and deferred maintenance that you know when we get we prioritize and when we get funding they they kind of end up on the top of the list and we try to build those but we're really focused on the priorities. >> Yeah. Well, you know, two or three years ago, some of those priorities were priorities and now no longer are priorities because you

092have other priorities that have taken their place. So again, you know, you're talking about a continuum of backlog that priorities all of a sudden get to the bottom of the list because now you have new priorities. >> Senator, >> so in 2023, uh the department's CIP unspent funds was $2.4 billion. Now, according to your facilities portal, the Hawaii Department of Education, your facilities portal, your last reporting of January 7, 2025, the unspent DOE CIP funds is $2.7 billion. This is your guys own reporting now. This is your own numbers where if you rewind two years prior, 2023, was $2.4 billion. So, now we're at $2.7 billion. And I I want to be able to move these conversations forward so we can actually bring to the table some hardcore data so we can pass bills to

093get you folks the money you need so we can get the improvements that we need in our schools and in our facilities. But you make it very very difficult when you're supposed to be the subject matter subject expert um and you don't even know these numbers. And so this is why we get frustrated is because you come here and you don't have the numbers and we want to move forward from this conversation of unspent CIP funds and I have a report from your own portal. These are facts and you don't even know that and I know that. So how can we move forward in the conversation when you don't bring us accurate numbers, you don't have accurate data and we're not able to move forward in that conversation? It makes it very very difficult. And

094right now we're talking about semantics between deferred maintenance and CIPs where pretty much the entire bundle that we're talking about here is how much money the department has tied up and it's in the billions of dollars and when you don't acknowledge that we can't move forward in this discussion. We're going to stay here and once we get to conference committee we're not going to have anything. So you're not giving us anything to work with. So, how can I know these reportings and these numbers and you guys don't have these numbers? And this is from your own portal. And here we are. We have we have programs in my community of a tutoring program that is working costing $30,000 a year that's actually helping our kids. And we're going to have to cut that because if

095we have to tighten up on budget, that's the thing that's going to get cut. a tutoring program that's actually helping with literacy, with math, with reading, with writing. And now we have to cut back on that program that's actually working. And you guys cannot even come here and help us to break down the unspent funds that you guys have without even acknowledging the facts that you guys have them from your own website. This is your guys' own reports. Nobody's making this up. So, go ahead. >> Yeah, we've provided the numbers. >> Okay. But you've never said that orally, right? You just said earlier, I don't know. I don't have that information. You say that >> I don't [laughter] have it in front of me. I We've provided the numbers. >> How hard is it to

096remember 2.7 billion dollars? Like this is a lie. >> Yeah, we've provided the data. >> No, this is a different set. I kept telling you this. This is the different data. This is the data specifically by schools. We're asking you for the unspent funds, which as pointed out and as I pointed out, we have the numbers. How come you don't have the numbers? You don't come prepared. We we have the numbers. We we provided it in different forms to you. We're going to provide you in the updated form on Monday, please. >> So, Senator, we we will get you. >> We're trying to help you. >> We will get you the numbers. U if I may ask though, the numbers that you got is from where >> your your portal. >> Okay. So, we will

097take a look at it. We'll get unspent unspent. >> Why wouldn't you why wouldn't you come prepared with that numbers if that's your area of expertise? And you know, we're going to ask that question. I've asked that question over and over and over again. So why wouldn't you come with that number knowing I'm going to ask the question again? Right? I mean it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that we're going to ask you that this is a bill on CIP. This is a bill you don't want us to take it away from you. You want us to allow you to do it. If you're going to ask us for allow you to do it, then you have to show me that you're capable that you know the numbers right. >> We'll get that

098to you soon. Elementary, kindergarten, not not high school. This is elementary. >> We'll get it for you. >> Well, this is why >> I don't want you I'm sorry. I don't want you to get it for me. I want you to have it when you come before us so the public out there, the the the parents out there, the schools out there know what it is that we're facing. and and my colleagues know when they send us these bills that going to cost more and more money why I may not be hearing their bills because of all of this funding. Okay, so there's a reason why we have these public meetings so that you can provide the information to the public not oh we give you the numbers. If you gave me the numbers then

099you should know what the numbers are. Okay, I'm trying to be calm. >> Does 2.7 Does it sound familiar? Does it sound outrageous? Is it too much? Is it too little? Is it around the ballpark? I mean, help us out here. >> We want to help you folks. >> That that is one number that's out there. And but the more accurate one is the tables that we're providing uh to the senator. Um we have a different version on Monday that's going to come out. So, >> so I wasn't privy to this report, so I'm not sure exactly what this is, but I'm just talking about the unspent CIP funds of your folks reporting. Now, this is not I'm not googling it. I'm not chat GPTing it. This is from your guys own reporting from your

100facilities portal. So, what I'm saying is how can we move forward if we can't even come to an agreement with where the funds are at. So when we are hearing a bill that is empowering SFA to do what SFA was created to do and you folks are saying that oh no we've got a handle on it we can do it. It it's hard for us to have trust in the department when we can't even get an accurate number or even come to the table and say hey yeah you know what that that's where it's at. Where did you get this from? I got it from your portal. Um, and so this is why it gets really frustrating. And in our previous hearing, we're talking about school impact fees and we don't even have those numbers

101from you at that time. So, it's it's it's it's frustrating for us when this is such a priority in all of our communities and we need to come to the table and figure something out for our teachers, for our students, for our facilities, for our deferred maintenance, for our programs, for our curriculum. And it's it's it's it's been quite frustrating. So, I apologize. I know it may feel personal and I don't I know it may be difficult to sit across, but you have to see it from our end that we're begging you for help because you guys are the only ones that have access to this information and we're begging you to work with us by giving us the accurate numbers and just to be honest with us and if it's something that's a little

102bit too much on your plate, please let us know. That's why SFA was created for this particular um for this particular scenario. Sorry, you look a little confused. >> No, no, I'm I'm not. When you said SFA was created for this scenario, >> uh only because we're talking about this bill, which is what's prompting all of these conversations. So, um earlier we talked about the vouchers and then you guys said that, you know, oh, we'll need more staff, we'll need more this, we'll need more that. And it's like, man, you you guys got you have to meet us more halfway, you know, because these meetings are just as uncomfortable for us as it is for you guys. But we have to keep the department accountable because our communities cannot just sit by while we receive

103responses like, "Oh, we'll get back to you, you know." So, >> and just to set the record straight, what you have given is the deferred maintenance by schools. >> Yes. >> Which we've asked for, but that doesn't answer this question. And so don't say you gave my office the report because it also says here no CIP report yet. So you're you're not answering what we're asking for. And so don't rely and say we provide it to your office because you have not. >> Yeah, that was in the previous report we sent you but we revised working with your office and >> we want a general idea of what is the unstep funds that is sitting there. [clears throat] >> Thank you you SFA. Can you >> So you used to be with the DOE facilities,

104right? >> Yes. >> Do you have any idea of what the unspent funds are or any idea? >> Right. So I can give you a history. What happened was, right, the um House Finance subpoenaed the records or threatened to sub subpoena the records because House Finance. >> House Finance. Yeah, because >> when was this? >> Uh 2019. >> Okay. >> And then >> is that what we have to do then? Subpoena the records to get >> Well, that's what House Finance did. >> Okay. >> But House Finance at that time was led by an attorney. >> Okay. >> So, so as a result, all the records were provided from the system of record which is the accounting system and that's what led to all the development of these tracking systems for transparency. That showed everything

105which showed unspent funds, obligated funds, construction contracts, design contracts, construction purchase orders, blanket incumbrances. It was completely transparent because it was threat of subpoena. Either that you don't provide it, that's a class C felony and you're subject to separate penalties. >> Okay. So that whole system was set up that systems now are being turned off or not maintained. So that's why there is no it's hard to find out what our fiscal position is. The key of the data has to come from the system of record. Anytime it's abstracted in a report, you don't have any idea, right? >> So why has it been turned off? >> I don't know. It's just not working now. >> So superintendent, why has it been turned off? I think I have no answer to that. >> But it is

106turned off, right? >> I have no answer to that. >> Well, when I tried going on, it's not on. When I tried getting update on Kay Bridge or any other thing um sus, it's not on there and and it's supposed to be the tracking system. And I brought this up before I brought this up last year. I brought this up the year before. And I've showed you guys the and I think I've showed you in my office how the it's not the numbers are not there. So somebody's turned it off and you folks are not maintaining it. So that's that's that's one problematic. Okay. So what what is on the portal that we're seeing and what is it? What what is that large number? Not to be to the penny but give us an idea.

107>> No. So so the system is not current. So we don't know what the actual numbers are. The reason why it's so large is during a series of time for four summers. The the the normal course of CIP is right a bianium budget you get a lot of money you design you encumber then you spend the next summer and you do construction for the next two summers and that's the normal course. What happened was for four summers construction wasn't scheduled. So that's what created this incredible obligated funds backlog of a billion dollars because when you miss four summers, you can never catch up. And that's the situation. That's why the obligated funds is so astronomical. >> So what's the answer? How do we fix it? You really have to stop giving appropriations for probably the

108next banium budget, two years, and you just have to grind away at this incredible obligated funds backlog of construction contracts. And until you do that, all you're doing is you're just digging the whole team. >> Can you comment on that, Senator Fenda? you agree that we have this backlog and something's ought to be done? >> Um I I do. Um Senator, I definitely believe that uh we need to do it. We Something needs to be done for the backlog. >> How do we do it? >> Um again u you know I defer to my team. I do know if I'm not mistaken. So if I'm not mistaken and Mr. Fujitani can can comment on this. um the four summers that uh the backlog occurred in I believe was during started with covid >> or during

109the covid period matter >> and and but that was that's important I think because during that time uh we couldn't do con construction was not being done in the department >> well whatever happened we have this backlog so the question is what are we doing about it >> what are we doing about it >> so we are as deputy shared uh we are assessing where we are we're moving forward with the projects that we have and the leg funding that currently the legislature gives to uh we're we're implementing that and moving that forward. We do have a backlog and uh Mr. Fuchanani I think is well aware of the backlog that we have because he was the director of um uh you know security services at that time and so um it it is extensive

110I the exact number I don't have that exact number for you >> I do know we do have a large backlog and we are working on it >> number but I want to get >> but we are we are definitely working on it so we're there's kind of two things happening right one we're keeping up with the trying to keep up with the work that we have now based on the allocations that we get from the legislature to move forward and at the same time trying to address uh the number of line items >> that um >> okay >> are historical. >> But if you're asking for 200 million and you can barely do 200 million, how how do you how do you then attack the the backlog? If you keep getting 200 million every

111year and you can barely do I mean that's that's a lot to do in one year. Uh how do you then attack the backlog? >> That is a very good question and I think And that's what we need you guys to to respond to. >> Go ahead. >> Yeah. I mean, it's it's daunting. It's it's daunting. >> Yeah, it is. >> And and actually what's lapsing in five months is actually $900 million. That's right. The bianium budget, >> typical historical batting budget for the deal is 454 million a year for the last 15 years. I haven't heard that number. I don't know where Mr. Fujitani gets that number from, but >> Okay. So, what how much is going to lapse? >> I I I can get again I can get that decision. I have the

112number with me. >> About how many? I >> I don't have the number with you. >> So, how can you discredit his >> I'm not I'm not discrediting. I'm I'm just saying I'm not sure where he got the number from. I'm not discrediting his number. >> Okay. Well, absence of your numbers. We're going to have to take somebody's numbers, right? >> No, it it's in the budget bill. The budget bill of lapsing in this year is $1 something billion dollars for the DOE. In the last 15 years, it's historically average 450 more than years. So you, like I said, >> the typical pattern is you get this money, you encumber it, then you next this you spend the next summers to to to do it. Co is actually when everyone caught up because no one

113was there. Uh cranked their construction. All these other agencies cranked construction, but unfortunately it wasn't scheduled. Not Keith's fault. He was just it was somebody else that was in charge of that. >> Well, no matter what it is, it's just now you got this problem. So, you got to clear it up. And if you don't clear it up, what happens is you get escalation charges, material costs. You're legally bound to pay this [clears throat] to contractors. So, you have two options. >> Ledge has to fund it to clean it up or you're going to settle. Otherwise, you're going to get sued by contractors. I used to do this as an attorney. I'm a construction litigation attorney. >> So that's what you do. >> So we're legally bound to those contracts and to pay what are

114we paying on those contracts? >> Um at that moment in time it was a billion. Yeah. Escalation completion charges change. >> Do we have an idea what the escalation cost is to all these these um unspent CIP funds? >> It's a case by case on each contract depending how long it is. Right? Because when a contractor bids on a contract, it's for that period of time [snorts] assuming you'll get a notice to proceed within 120 days. Any delay upon that, then you triggers escalation. So if it's years, it could be significant. >> How do we calculate that? >> You'd have to take each contract, determine when it was issued, what's the time period, how much escalation for that. >> And that's kind of what I wanted when we asked for this list. >> You can't

115get it from report. You have to look at each contract. And that's what I wanted. each contract to tell us what was that and what and what when it was supposed to complete it. That's kind of what I was trying to ask for so that we can get a sense of how much is in you know it's one thing to have these money sitting there but what are we paying escalation cost and where is that escalation cost does it just add to this amount >> yes so there's several right escalation is just when you give the notice to proceed and now you actually buy the materials but you have to buy it at current cost then you have the construction which gets scheduled and then you have change orders as a result of the construction

116on the perceived circumstances so there's multiple buckets of money that are needed to complete a construction contract. Escalation is the first one. Changers are the second. Construction management is the fee which you need to manage that construction so it's done right. So those are the three largest buckets of money. Historically >> you get the money to pay the escalation cost. It just goes to the bottom line of the contract. >> Typically you blow by any contingency within the first escalation. So your only option is project completion funds and that supplements to finish all these projects. >> Okay. >> Yeah, there's a lot of assumptions uh there uh you know escalation issues don't become an issue unless they're construction contracts. We have a lot of the sign contracts that are in those old things uh that

117you know >> Yeah, that's not the point though. The point is all of these costs add up and we just want to get a handle on it. Whether it's escalation costs, whether change order cost, whether it's sitting there, what I mean I had Kayi Kayi bridge. Okay. Bridge. We put $3 million in it. Rusty hoes the kids pass by every day. Okay. So, we had the the the DOE wrote reason why health and risk and accidents and all that. The money got the money got released, right? We gave out a contract to to Mitsunaga, I believe it was. They did an initial thing and then two years later, two years later now after we got the release of the funds, two years later, we get a letter saying, "Oh, we're lapsing them funds." Why? Because

118we don't own the bridge. The city owns the bridge. It took us, it took DOE two years to figure out they didn't own the bridge after they made a reason why we should have the funds, get it released, governor released this, we give out a contract, and then all of a sudden we don't own the bridge and they lapse the money, the $3 million. I mean, that's ridiculous. So now we're in the situation now we got to find the money to do it again. Okay? Because that bridge is getting worse. And if some kid dies, guess who is going to be liable? We are. the state's going to be liable. Did they reach out to the city? No, they didn't reach out to the city. They didn't do anything. They just lapsed the funds. Didn't

119even didn't even inform us or inform the legislators of the district, >> which is troubling. Yeah. And to meet with the principal, he wasn't even he wasn't even informed when this was going on. So, there is a problem. If we go on the on the tracking system, nothing on the tracking system. Well, I cannot argue with that past project, but I can say that it's not a billion. It's not billions of dollars lapsing in the fiscal year. That's not correct. And we can get you the lapsing. We reported it to the board just at a couple meetings ago. >> We'll see that at the next meeting that we're at because if it's in the budget bill, then it's somewhere there. But monies do lapse. We do have a pattern of money lapsing in addition to

120encumbered funds that don't lapse because you encumber it, but then that doesn't get built. Okay. Any other questions? Thank you. Okay. [clears throat] Facilities. We're on House Bill 2398 relating to libraries. Great. At least we're not talking about CIPs here. Clarifies the board of education through state library as exclusive authority over the development, use, support, and improvement and maintenance of public library system facilities. Allows the board of education to authorize the state library to exercise exclusive control of certain land for development or expansion purposes subject to legislative appropriation. Okay. And I'm sure we have the librarian here to testify. If I can find my testifiers list. Here we go. Stacey Aldrich. >> Okay. Do you know what I say about standing on your testimony? >> Come come come forward to give us give people understanding

121of what you're standing on. >> Mallerie Fujitani for the Hawaii State Public Library System. Um thank you. Uh this measure is um and we're in uh support of it. Um it will help clarify and provide additional more detailed guidance that the state library system when we do expend uh legislative appropriations at the at our public and school libraries that we have um authority to do so. um a recent situation had come up and um the DOE told us that the land was not ours. So we um our construction start delayed by 2 months and so we were concerned about escalation fees. We were forced into a um right of entry and MOA um and we had to commit to certain things that I don't think were necessarily binding on us. uh which included us. If

122we ever did any forward construction or renovation to the new public library, we would have to get approvals from the DOE facilities office even though the public library system buildings are under the authority of the board of ed and the state library and not the DOE. >> Okay. So, this bill will clear clear that up and I think >> it'll provide additional clarity. Um and also we in our testimony we noted um a situation that uh Senator Hashimoto is a familiar with regarding um just lack of clarity by other government agencies about who has control over library properties >> and I think we had the Senate version bill. >> Yeah. Similar >> but it didn't pass out, did it? >> It Yeah, it's moving in the House. >> It is moving in the House. Okay,

123good. >> Anybody Any other questions? If not, thank you. >> Thank you. Um see >> hello again um chair senators of the committee um the Jesse Suki deputy superintendent of operations um for the DOE. Um, we oppose the bill because it goes against, I think, what the legislature tried to do under act 307, which was to consolidate all the DOE land and and make it more expedient um and efficient for development of those lands. Um, we're not concerned about um libraries that are not on school campuses. We're concerned about the 13 libraries that are on school campuses. uh state library system already has um control over the facilities and operations under HRS chapter 312. So that's not the issue. The issue um is when a library is being developed um and over the life of

124it, you know, if there's going to make improvements and operations, we need to have things in writing with the library and we do um that talks about how we're going to keep the campus safe for students um and teachers as libraries are open to the general public and sometimes in the middle of campus. Um and uh we'll rest on our testimony. Thank you. >> Thank you. BOE, you're not here. Uh Sani Pi, individual in support. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Members, any questions? Questions? Okay, moving on. Uh House Bill 2534 House has draft one relating to robotics. Appropriates funds to Department of Education to establish robotics as an intercolastic sport. We have a number of people who are probably all not here. Uh Kayashi for uh Department of Education, Terry. Aloha chair

125and members of the committee. Terry Yoshiima from the Department of Education. Uh we stand on a written testimony which provides comments on this measure and concerns. The department recognizes immense value of robotics and STEM education but has strong concerns regarding its as reclassification as an intercolastic sport. Uh doing so would subject robotics to rigid athletic rules such as seasonal windows and restricted periods that conflict with the yearround the nature of global robotics and competitions. >> Thank you >> Ed. No from charter schools. >> I'm sorry. >> Okay. Um, Hay Yang Martin testifying for WA Robotics. >> Not on Zoom. Chair. >> Okay. Joshua Tom support on Zoom. >> Joshua. >> Yes, I'm here. >> I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> Okay. Um, aloha chair, um, and members of the committee. My name is Joshua Tom. I'm

126a student at James Campbell High School. I stand in strong support of HP2534. However, I >> You got to speak out a little bit louder or raise your volume. We have a hard time hearing. >> I apologize. We're actually at our competition right now. So, a lot of us are kind of It's very loud right now. So, I do apologize if you um if you're unable to hear me, please let me know. Um, I stand in strong support for this bill because of the significance robotics programs do have here in the state. Um, and by providing resources and recognition for these programs, it would do so much more for our abilities to have competitions like the one I'm at today. However, I do also recognize some of the concerns, especially with the intercolastic sport title.

127How I would like to uh point out how esports is considered under the HHSAA. However, it is not a sanctioned sport, but it is still under the athletic association. And through that, all of the concerns with the three-hour practice times, um the fundraising, and a lot of that, um they do not apply to esports. And so my what I suggest for an amendment would be to have it under the HHSAA, not necessarily with the um sanctioned sport title in order for us to get that recognition, get our competitions funded for and continue to support us while not subjecting us to those rigid rules that a sport title would have for um the leagues as just under the HHSAA as esports is. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, let's see. We have two. >> Yes, go

128ahead quickly. >> Sorry, one more thing. So, I did stop by your guys' offices, too. And I haven't got the invitations. If you guys are able to um come down by if you can see, this is all the backgrounds and everything for our competition. So, I'm sure you folks would love it. >> Thank you, Joshua. Appreciate that. Okay, we have what? Three others in opposition. 2 4 6 8 nine in support. Anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure? Uh hearing none. Members, >> we do have um a few others wishing to testify if that's okay. >> Um okay. Can you get them on? One minute. >> Yes, you're ready. >> Aloha. Please identify yourself. >> Aloha. My name is Alise Angel. So, good afternoon members of the committee. My name is Alise, team

129captain of Maui High School's robotics team, and I strongly support House Bill 2534. Robotics has taught me leadership, real world engineering, and problem solving I could never learn in a traditional classroom. However, as a Hawaii based team, our competition costs, including robot shipping and airfare, exceed $25,000 a year. And due to cutbacks in federal and state funding, we struggle to ensure all students can participate. However, this bill will protect the programs necessary for Hawaii's STEM future. And beyond our own team, we organized the Maui VEX IQ League, bringing in robotics to elementary and middle school students across Maui and creating pathways for Hawaii's next generation of leaders. And I humbly ask for your support in passing House Bill 2534. And Senator Hashimoto, if you'd like to come by St. Louis school to check out our

130competition before you fly back to Maui. You're very welcome to and um mahalo for your time. [laughter] >> Thank you. >> Hi. >> I would also like to testify my name is Lansy Tollis. This is my fourth year on the K robotics team. Um I would like to say that I cannot fully support this bill um as it stands now. I think with it being considered as a sanction sport, there are a lot of things that come to um stand against us in terms of robotics. I believe especially with Khe um being under a sport and being under a superintendent, our um our sports um organizer is not going to be the person that's going to be best able to um support us in growing robotics. Additionally, with all of the restrictions that come with

131being a sanctioned sport, um we'd see I I believe we'd see um a reduction in our robotics team, um I believe that with the amendments being a non-sanctioned sport, this could be a successful bill, but um as it stands now, I cannot say that I can fully support this. >> Thank you. Okay. >> Yes. Go ahead. Okay. Um, hi. Um, my name is Chanel Lee and I'll be representing team 359 Wu Robotics in Wu Aahu. Since the first robotics program was established in Wua in 1999, the state has embraced robotics technology as both an educational and the competitive platform. Robotics is not just any after school activity out there. It provides life skills for students all around the world. Robotics offers an intense competitive environment for everyone participating. While I agree with the fact that

132robotics in Hawaii deserves more recognition and our mentors should receive compensation, I do not agree with the way this bill is written in its current state. I do not attend Wua High School, but I participate in this program because I want to. The opportunities and skill sets it's provided me with are life-changing, but it should be it should not be limited to students who only attend a certain school. Our [clears throat] team consists of students from six other schools and students from the mainland, helping to sustain our team. If this bill is passed, students like myself will no longer be able to participate in the activity that we are so passionate about. This bill also fails to address and support community and family based teams that want to participate in robotics. Overall, I think this

133bill has great intentions, but these underlying issues needed to be need to be addressed. >> Okay. Anyone else? If not, thank you very much. Uh we are now in um nobody else here wishing to testify. We are in um questions. >> Ma'am, we're done. >> Uh real quick, the difference uh what is a HHSSA? Is that >> O2? >> Okay, so you can have a sanctioned unsanctioned sport there without all of the just briefly. >> Hi, Madam Chair, members of the committee. Uh, my name is Bryce Kaneshurro. I'm the ex um extracurricular administrator for the DOE, but I'm also the um OIA, Oahu Intercol Association Executive Director. So, the HHSAA is the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, which is the association that um basically organizes between the five leagues. um ILH, BIF, KIF, MIL and

134uh they they give the um I mean we that's that's who we run under when we do all our state tournaments. Um they do have esports which they added about a couple years ago which none of the leagues have as a sport but that is something that they go through a third party. Uh so it's >> so is that something feasible for robotics down the road? >> Uh you would have to ask HHCA for that. I mean cuz I I can't speak for them in that sense but um they have done it for esports which it didn't include any other leagues. Um but they also have esports teams that uh represent the high schools. >> Anything to add? >> No. Okay. Thank you. >> Question. >> Because robotics uh it's like a year round program.

135This kind of does this kind of pose a limitation to them? >> Yes. Uh for if they if they were a sport? Yes. if if it was how they are now, I mean, that's something, you know, different. But if it in a sport-wise, every sport has a season. Uh, so they have a start date, they have an end date. Um, there are some, you know, preseasons and everything like that, but there are some restrictions that they would have they would have that they don't normally have as they do now. >> Um, I noticed the appropriations were blanked out. Is there any kind of estimated cost on this? >> That that was that I wouldn't have known. That's not We didn't do that. Okay, >> Thank you very much. >> Okay. HB2621 uh relating to student

136misconduct requires public schools to report to Department of Education any incidents involving physical violence. It requires the Department of Education to collect and maintain data on incidents involving physical violence at public schools and make such data publicly available. Requires annual reports. So Kayashi aloha chair, members of the committee, Kina Gardner from the Department of Education. Um we stand on our written testimony which provides comments on this measure. Um we share the legislaturator's commitment to safety and transparency but respectfully note that this um bill may be unnecessary. The department already collects, enforces, and publicly reports the data outlined in this bill through existing administrative rules and annual reports. Mahal. >> Thank you. Why don't you sit there because I think you're the only one. That's all we have that's signed up. Anyone else wishing to testify

137on this measure? House Bill 2621. Hearing none. Questions members to DOE at all? Any questions? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. That takes us to the end of our agenda. I'm going to go into one. Call me back to order the committee on education for decision making. Uh starting out with House Bill 1559, House draft 2. This is the cell phone uh telecommunication device on school grounds acknowledging that the DOE and the BOE have been working on this and that they have finally come up with a policy and they are working on guidelines and give them that opportunity to put that all together. Uh I'm not one that feels that we need a bill for everything and if the departments can handle this within their realm then they should be allowed to do that. So

138um we're going to go defer this measure indefinitely. Any comments? Any discussion? Members hearing? None. Uh measures deferred. House Bill 2012 relating to community literacy uh labs. This measure um while it's very meritorious. I think we need to really look at what's really out there and what we can really um make a big difference and not just adding in a pilot project or a few few um new bodies. Uh but we are going to uh defect the date to 7:31 2055. We are going to pass it on to Ways and Means. We you know don't have any idea what that cost might be. So uh hopefully that they'll deal with it at the at their level. So um I believe do we need technical and non-s substantive amendments as well? >> Okay, we'll move we'll

139just technical and non-s substitive amendments along with the defective date. Any discussion hearing? Hearing none. Chair votes I >> HP2020 HD1 chair recommendations pass with amendment. Chair votes eye. Vice chair's excused. Senator Fukunaga is excused. I vote I senator Dort. Chair recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. House Bill 2297. This updates the Hawaii statutory framework for adult and community education programs. Uh the recommendation is to pass with an SD1 further defecting the date to 7312055 and uh technical non-substantive amendments for clarity and consistency if needed. Um any discussion hearing? None. Chair votes I >> members HP297 HD1 chair's recommendation to pass with amendment. Chair votes I noting the excusal of Senator Hidani and Fukunaga for this measure and all others. Any um reservations? Any nos? With all others voting I recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. House

140Bill 2122 House draft 1. This is uh the teacher housing assistance program. You know, this measure needs a lot of more work, but we are going to uh further defect the date to 7:31 2025 and pass it on to Ways and Means so we can continue education. We do think that our teachers do need support. Um we're not sure exactly that this bill itself is going to solve the problem, but u we want to keep the discussion going. So any other discussion hearing? None. Chair votes eye. >> Members HP 2122 HD1 chair recommendation house with amendments. Chair votes I members voting with reservations. Any members want to know without others voting I recommendations adopted. >> Okay. House bill 2345 relating to school facilities. Um again in this measure there is a lot of issues regarding

141the backlog. There's issues with the um maintenance u and delayed maintenance. So we want to continue to keep moving this along. Recommendation further defect the date to 7:31 2025. Any comments? Any discussion? Hearing none. Chair Volzai >> defective date. >> Oh um 7:31 20 2055. >> Okay. >> All right. Chair uh members HP 2345 chair's recommendation to pass amendment chair and members voting with reservations. Any members voting no without others voting? I recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Uh house bill 2398. This is relating to our libraries. Uh recommendation is to pass with an SD1 um and defecting the date further to 7:31 2055 discussion hearing none chair votes I >> members HP 2398 HD1 chair's recommendations pass with amendment chair votes I any members voting with reservations any members voting no without others voting I recommendations

142adopted >> okay house bill 2534 this is relating to robotics as a intercolastic sport um it's interesting to have heard from our students out there and even among themselves they have different deferring opinions. I appreciate their their input. Uh I believe that this bill needs a lot of work. I'm going to recommend deferring this members and that come back next year with the new bill that the students themselves as well as the administration can um support. So with that any discussion it's not me bill is deferred. Uh House Bill 2621 House draft 2 relating to student misconduct. Uh we certainly heard from the department saying that they already collect the data. They have that data. So perhaps they need to do a job as far as making sure the public is aware of some of

143this data and maybe we won't have these bills coming out again. So with that recommendation is to defer this measure. Any discussion? Any opposition? Hearing none measures deferred. And with that we are done. Hope everybody stays safe. Drive