001Good afternoon. We're convening the joint committees on water, land, culture, and the arts, and education on our joint 1pm agenda here in state capital conference room 229. We have one measure on the agenda. Uh there is a lot of testimony on it though. So we'll ask folks to make sure you have your uh written testimony submitted and uh we'll be limiting uh testifiers to one minute to make sure that there's time to get through everybody. I'll just note that there are a number of committee hearings separate from this going on throughout the afternoon that folks will have to run off to. So um that being said up first is Senate Bill 20003 relating to natural resource management um which uh requires the auditor's report pursuant to section 4 of act 255 to include a recommendation
002as to whether monarch stewardship and oversight is fit to continue management and makes other amendments. Uh testifying first on SB 20003 is the office of the auditor. Oh, I'm sorry. Uh, excuse me. Monica Stewardship and Oversight Authority. >> Good afternoon. >> Thank you. Uh, next on Zoom is Hulip Pac. >> Not present on Zoom. Chair. >> Thank you. Um, also on Zoom, Lay Mom Khan, >> also not on Zoom. Okay, that is everybody who signed up to testify in person. Is there anyone else wishing to testify on SB 20003? >> Please come forward. >> Aloha. Angela Melody Young cares. I'm wishing to comment to provide a um amendment. So initially what caused the conflict I think was the Hawaiians and their culture and then they got like the actor Jason Mamoa to go on the
003mountain um and to do their parade. And so it initially started with the Hawaiians and their culture and their worship and then the interference of DOT and DHHL which the Supreme Court ruled against DOT and DHHL. So what I'd recommend I think um to um kind of balance the ongoing conflicts is to um perhaps request a work group to be recommended um without delegating too much authority to the auditor. Um so a work group um with DOT, DHHL, DLNR, University of Hawaii, Hawaiian Practitioners and OHA and to facilitate the transitional period um where the authority will assume control from University of Hawaii and the Department of Land and Natural Resources um so that um in this transition um the university and um the other summarized your time is up. >> Responsible entities can jointly manage
004the aspects of the mountain. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Is there anyone else wishing to testify on SB2003? Seeing none, other questions. >> The auditor is not here. So, who would we ask a question of his office? >> Is there anyone from the auditor's office? >> Okay. Um, Mr. Chair, I'm just going to paraphrase some of this that's written in the uh for the record. Um he says that they have strong reservations and they're the ones we're asking to do the to do this um audit with strong reservations about this bill as it relates to the office of the auditor goes on he says we note the bill that the bill does not include any criteria or other information against we should assess the authorities's performance to a base determination and then we request
005that the bill be held or amended to remove the requirement that the audit include a recommendation about the authorities's fitness to continue management of Monaca Yeah. Um, so I mean if someone we're asking to do the audit, I think they should be here so we can ask them questions. Um, but that's the gist of the bill. >> You can make a comment. Sure. >> Okay. Thank you. Um reason for this measure is that the Senate version of this um Monaka authority bill, the act deleted the Senate version of the bill at the last minute during conference. And so at the request of Senator Dela Cruz, this revertment language should be back into the the chapter into the act. And so hence um the revertment clause mentions that if the auditor during the period of transition
006is not to the uh act purpose uh that it reverts back to the University of Hawaii and that uh that's the reason for this measure and that was the Senate's version of the act that was deleted during conference. And so on behalf of uh Senator Dela Cruz, uh the introduction of this bill, hence is SB20003. >> Okay. Further questions, discussion, >> just discussion. Um I'm reading the bill. I I don't know if I'm missing it, but I think in on the first page on line eight, starting on line eight, the report shall include a recommendations to whether the Monae Stewardship and Oversight Authority is fit to continue management. Doesn't say anything about the reversion. I know there are a lot of questions that are being taken out. So, um please correct me if I'm wrong.
007Maybe manage um Monaka can come up is in the last section. >> Very last page. >> Okay. >> Starts from page three. >> Page three >> all the way down. >> B >> the management authority over a monocular lands as defined in section 304A-1901 Hawaii revised statute shall revert to the University of Hawaii. Okay, that's is that only after the the audit takes place? >> The auditor, as I understand the bill, the auditor is going to determine whether or not we're fit or not. And if he determines that we're not fit, it automatically reverses. >> Okay? But it is determined upon it, which the auditor is saying. They don't know how they can make that determination >> because we don't know, none of us know what fit means, right? That's the word language that is
008used, >> right? Okay. Okay. That clarifies it for me. Thank you. Further questions? >> Yeah. Do you know when the auditor is going to make >> 2031? >> Yeah. He says he he doesn't think he's able to under the guidelines of the bill. >> Act 255 already provides a performance and u financial audit in 2031 already. This goes further and gives the auditor further authority to determine whether or not we're fit, whatever that means, and the power to kind of sunset the authority. >> Well, I'm in agreement with Senator from the Big Island that it did include it in the original bill that at the end of the period should the transition does not take place and so forth that the um whole authority shall revert back to the university. But it never talked about
009the fitness basically whether or not you're able to complete all the things that was was required for by the bill. Right. Yeah. So I'm not sure why we we need an auditor to tell us that. If you think it should revert back then >> I'm not sure. I voted against the bill. So I'm just doing my duty at the request of the >> the ch uh chair of ways and means. So um as far as I'm concerned um this measure uh is in effect because annually MKOS is supposed to did you folks by the way did you guys and um report >> this 2025 uh to the legislature. When did we get it? >> The 20 days before the session. >> Okay. All right. So annually they need to give a report. So I guess
010during the period before the transition that um I guess this measure whatever the language was in the original bill during conference was actually is supposed to have been included in this measure. So >> yeah, I'm not arguing that point at all. It was it was was language that we did put in got taken out. >> I wasn't part of that. >> And so I'm not arguing that. The point that I'm I'm having is that leaving it up to the auditor to make a determination of whether you're fit. I think the the bill is clear. If the transfer doesn't happen, if it, you know, time runs out, then it was supposed to revert back. So, I'm not arguing that point. I'm just saying that the bill didn't call for for there to be an evaluation of
011whether or not you were fit in order to continue. I I I wasn't part of the I cannot add to that in terms of what was in the original draft of the Senate. Um but this is 2031, right? The the transfer full transfer is 2033 in terms of when the leases get. So I'm not sure why 2031 was chosen as a date. The other thing that this bill does, it actually takes power away from the legislature to make one of the criticisms is that it takes power away from the legislature to make that determination. >> Right? because auditor determines solely right whether or not >> so we either just include a reversion uh to the to the original statute or we don't I just think that the study portion of it um and the auditive
012portion of it should be totally deleted >> other discussion >> I think the only thing that we can do is this goes to another committee so we can move it along if you want to make some amendments. That's this committee's um responsibility or move it along and then it will be taken up at the next committee hearing. >> Well, that's my main that's my point. We we could just leave in the reversion and send it on and not have the auditor portion of it, but it's up to the committee whatever we want to do. >> Further discussion? Seeing none. Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, take quick uh recess. Okay, we're reconvening the joint committees on waterland, culture, and the arts and education for decision-making on our 1pm agenda here at
013state capital conference room 229 on Senate Bill 20003 relating to natural resources management. Um, appreciate the discussion from our u colleagues. We'd like to chairs having agreed uh recommend that we move this measure forward with amendments. Uh we're going to strike the section of the measure related to the uh auditor and audit. Um we're going to also add in language to address the timelines that were raised in testimony uh providing for a 10-year lease extension uh and sub lease extension. Uh, and then we're going to um, uh, make technical amendments. Uh, add in a defective date. I'll just note the language in which is this, uh, looks like section 18B. um regarding reversion we'll leave in the measure as it goes to ways and means committee. So any discussion any comments if not oh vice
014chair? >> No. >> Okay. Uh chair's recommendation on for the committee on waterland culture and the arts is to pass SB20003 with amendments. Chair Lee. >> Hi. >> Vice Chair goes I senator Chang >> is excused. Senator Lamos. >> Hi. >> Senator Deort. >> No. >> Measure is adopted. Mr. Chair. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Same same recogni recognition. Same recommendation for the committee on education to amend uh Senate Bill 20003 to an SD1. Any discussion members? Hearing none. Chair votes I. >> Chair votes I. Vice Chair votes I. Senator Fukunaga excused. Senator Hashimoto. >> Hi. >> Senator Deort. >> No. >> Measures adopted. Madam Chair. >> Thank you. We're journ like to call the committee on education to order. Uh today is Wednesday, February 18th. It is Ash Wednesday. Those of you, including myself,
015who didn't get the ashes yet, shame on us. Uh it is the 102 agenda that we're working off on. And uh any any persons testifying and we have technical difficulties, a committee will reconvene on tomorrow. tomorrow uh which is Thursday in this conference room 229 at 1 pm and the public notice will be posted on a wise legislative website and due to the number of measures we have on the agenda and the number of testifiers we are limited testifiers to one minute and so with that we will start off on Senate Bill 3286 which we have only one testifier Jan Goa for the University of Hawaii this is relating ing to uh or requiring the University of Hawaii to develop facilities student housing master plan and requires a report to the legislature. >> Thank you,
016Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kim, Senator Deort, uh Jan Goa. We have we stand on our written testimony with comments. >> Okay, you will actually give a little more details before we start asking you questions. Um so in essence the measure um uh seeks to require the university to establish a facilities master plan that takes into consideration uh broader academic issues like the projection of enrollment um different methods of pedagogy, how much is online, how much will be in person as well as uh taking a look at the demographics. um moving from a more traditional uh or evaluating where the um what the characteristics of a a student might be which might be moving away from the more traditional you know straight out of high school kind of characteristics versus um adult learners um second kind
017of career um education effort. So, the bill seeks to um have the university take a look at all of that systemwide and then develop a facilities plan to support that the growth in those areas. >> Okay. And so, do you have any recommendations in light of opposition? We um it's it's a broader uh as we as we laid out in our testimony uh our written testimony, you know, we do support the intent of of putting together a plan. Um the criteria and the elements that's identified um in the bill uh is a fairly heavy lift across all 10 campuses. Um and actually should be developed that's really the academic strategy um and that needs to be developed before the facilities plan is developed. So as we laid out um in our testimony we we recommend
018that the university be given some time to to develop that broader academic strategy from which the facilities plan um can develop. So does the university does not have any plans in past regarding >> facilities and student housing. Do you have any plans? >> Yes. So so the university has um six year CIP plans. Um this is our our our latest. It's on our website and we can happy to bring you hard copies. Um it covers three bianiums. So this this uh we are in the beginning stages of the second bianium. It's from FY24 through FY29. Um, and it does lay out a facilities master plan. Uh, what it does not specifically incorporate. Uh, are the different methods of pedagogy and how much is going to be online? What do we anticipate the body heat to
019be on campus? Um, perhaps the type of facilities we need moving forward would be more technologybased um, instead of your standard classroom that where the pedagogy is. lectern style. So all of that um is not incorporated in this plan. This was based more on um our deferred maintenance and just where the the growth um was kind of anticipated to be based on the age of a building. So maybe I should ask for questions and let me just finish this now. So when you folks have been doing your CIP, Sinclair, um McCarthy Mall, um even Athetherton and all of those things were going on. Were you guys following any kind of plan? The these well the there is a plan uh like that it anticipates six years of it forecasts out six years. Sometimes things get
020added to the plan. Um in the case of the Sinclair Library Student Success Center, um that was a uh priority that the um Provost Michael Bruno, Provos Bruno really wanted to see uh happen. So, that got inserted as a priority. That was based on um a lot of data that we received. Um and when we were putting together the six-year plan, we did survey um students at Monoa to see what type of spaces they would like to see more on campus or what kind of spaces needed to be improved. We've thought that a lot of it would be um the classroom uh and other type of you know teaching spaces. Oddly or s I shouldn't say oddly surprisingly um a lot of the feedback that we got from students was they were kind of more
021concerned about having spaces where they could gather and study um at night in safe places uh because Monoa really did not have um a lot of those type of spaces. So based on that survey, uh, Provos Bruno made the student success center a priority project. >> I I guess that raises some concerns because it seems like whether you have a plan or not that things get inserted or deleted. Um, I know in the s care of Sinclair, we talked about possibly putting floors above to be student housing, student dormitories. Yes. And um you know that wasn't considered. You added on a fifth floor, but I mean honestly it wasn't considered. I know we talked about it at length, but that never came to fruition. Um we had the Athetherton where the innovation center and we've
022already have the Manome innovation center. We have the innovation center at the business school. A number of them in Kakaako yet that was still still put to supported. And then we said, well, why don't we put the innovation center in Sinclair because that's where they seem to be using the innovation center at Athetherton as a student gathering, not as much as an innovation from what we can tell in the reports we've gotten. Um, and that wasn't put to heated or done. And then you did McCarthy Mall, which you know, I don't know where that came from. Of course, it came from no plan and added more money and it was for a drainage ditch, but that decision was made. So again, it seems like either absent of a plan or even when there is a
023plan that's not being followed to suit and and the concern is the cost, the monies that would come out of the rim, the monies that come out of the tuition funds, those are all areas and then the delays, the constant delays. Um, not to mention the demolishment of the PBN building. Um, and yet we still haven't seen anything on that lot, any plans, definitive plans on what you're going to do once you demolish the PBN building. So again, these are all up in the air and I can see why this this plan has this bill has surfaced. >> Yeah. >> So with that, Senator Hashimoto questions? >> Oh, Senator, >> thank you. Uh, Jan, excuse me. What is the total deferred maintenance backlog today >> for the 10 campus system? It's uh about a billion
024because now we're getting to the point where University of Hawaii uh it it's become deferred maintenance but now it's turning into a liability, right? And so without the so safety issues, liability, those kinds of things. I just wanted to clarify my statement. Um but then also without University of Hawaii having a plan in place, a master plan in place, almost forces the hand of the legislature to give you folks an extension. Meanwhile, taxpayers are being asked to front the bill over and over again. So I think we're falling into this place where there seems to be a delay in the master plan but then again it's becoming very fiscally um irresponsible for the department to continue to expect more funds. So uh how does a university plan on justifying the funds requested when there's when
025there's no master plan? Um and then you've got about a billion dollars in deferred maintenance backlog. Yeah. Um, so we we do have a master plan uh that there's a significant amount in the plan that addresses the deferred maintenance and the strategy behind it. Um, at a really high level, uh, the university needs about a hund00 million a year just to keep the status quo. So, um the the because we have limited funding um we try to be a little more resourceful in how we spend a dollar. And so in addition to um but we use surveys and we do um data gathering to really help to prioritize uh what the um kind of the students want to be want to have and and experience on campus. And that is one factor. We take a
026look at um facilities that are in high use and in high demand. Um and that kind of factors into what becomes a priority. Um in addition to that uh we we do consider where the future growth needs to be. So there is a semblance of a plan. It it probably is um not the perfect plan. Um and so we will acknowledge that and and acknowledge the need to um improve in those areas. Um, but I we'd be happy to provide you a copy of our uh University of Hawaii plan, uh, CIP plan. It's a six-year plan that at least incorporates some of the principles, but probably um not to the extent um that that you should expect or we should expect of of ourselves. So, we'll work on that. >> And then last followup, chair,
027thank you so much. Um but then I also think within your folks plan um that the legislature appropriates the funds but then uh you folks can move those funds onto other projects and other priority areas. So I think that with the plan in place there has to be accountability uh to ensuring that the money and funds that we are appropriating it's going to these specific areas. Um, so I think that a lot of that has to do with making sure that that communication is across the board and us not finding out next legislative session and we're like, "Whoa, what happened to the other building? We thought that that was the priority." So, I think a lot of it is really um ensuring that the projects are being completed in the timely um phase. Thank you,
028Chair. >> Thanks, Vice President, for being here. So, so I guess what what do you think we should be asking of you then in a plan versus if it's a little too much what because I think at the end of the day when you take a look at really what we're trying to get at is I think it's a little bit alarming right I think we did a lot of work on Monoa housing >> but then that's only one campus in the system right I think we're we're now moving on to you know Hilo and they don't have a plan yet and so that's a little bit alarming right so so what what is it I I think the bill is necessitating, you know, trying to push you guys in that direction. And so, you
029know, I think what is it that you're ready to do now versus waiting for the campuses to do their other master planning? Yeah, I I think it's a combination of um I think our new president um >> she is in the process of really focusing on the >> what I would say that the academic strategy >> um of a university system that incorporates all 10 campuses and finding their um each respective campuses um um I guess part of the overall system and the whole it would be helpful to have that u more established and nailed down um that because that is what should be driving then the facilities plan. Um, so I think in our testimony we did say it would probably take a couple of years um to take to incorporate those um strategies
030that will result in changes of of how uh classrooms are or the the educational experience on a campus is. Um that's a lot of that will be driven by what President Hensel is currently putting together as the AC the overall pen campus system academic strategy. That being said, you know, if we want to focus on housing, we can do that. We can do um definitely a housing strategy, but this is an overall 10 campus um integrated um system strategy that makes absolute sense and needs to be done from a facility standpoint. Um it's just it can be it there's a risk of it being done in a vacuum if the academic side is not completed first but we can you know >> but but I think it's it's partly it's phases right like partly we
031know when we talk with uh Hilo at least their student housing >> they just want to upkeep it but then they don't have a plan on what the upkeep is looking like right and if we don't have that at step one >> right we're not even talking about the visionary of okay we're going to build new facilities we're just talking about upkeeping the current stuff, right? And so I think part of it it's it's it's steps. >> So if you feel like, okay, we're only ready for maybe the the existing facilities, then then we need to know that, too. But >> right, like I think or if it's is is it do we focus this bill on just student housing, right? Because it's facilities and student housing master plan, >> like what what are you
032ready with now that that we should be pushing on, >> right? Because I think we we do want to know what what is it that we can do now and and we want you guys to do it, right? And I think part of it is you just need to tell us though that what's what's ready. I think if you tell us okay it's it's going to be couple years that worries me actually you know >> the whole enchilada I think is what is um so if the if if we can phase it that would be helpful um and if what I'm hearing is student housing is the priority which I agree um we can definitely uh do this a student housing facil uh systemwide plan um you know within a year >> thank you chair
033So, Jan, what what is troubling is that here we have the University of Hawaii and we've had a president that was there for 10 years and now we have a new president and in that whole time we didn't do this master planning. I mean, how can we continue on without the plans? And when you do have a plan, then it's not being followed. Um, so it for us, you know, it it's crazy how how you folks are making these decisions. Um, and then what you know, you have a six-year CIP plan, but is there priorities in there because it doesn't seem to be following a priority? How can you prioritize McCarthy Mall when there are other priorities out there? And um then we didn't you guys do an athletics. Whatever happened to that athletics master
034plan? that is um it started under the prior um athletics director. It's since been halted um and the new athletics director Matt Elliot uh is going to restart it um very shortly. >> Okay. But you know it's like every time there's somebody new that things stop and start again with a master planning in mind knowing where you're going then it shouldn't matter who's at the helm right because if that's the master plan now the other thing I have to question is that this falls clearly under you right but you have so many other things that's under you how can you do a good job with with this this this is a lot and we're asking a lot because it should have been done it should have been done years ago. Right. So it wasn't done
035but you've accumulated all of these all of these areas in which you're overseeing. So how can you focus on this? So that's another question with the for the president as to what is the what's the reorganization plan because it doesn't seem to be working. >> Yes. I um not completely sure on what the reorganization plan um is. Uh but I look forward to being able to concentrate my efforts. >> Yeah. So if you're going to do facilities and you're going to do, you know, housing, then that should be a major focus. I mean, you've got security, you've got I don't know what else you got. I mean, you know, traffic control, um procurement, everything more. >> Yeah. Okay. But yeah, so but still, you know, this is absent of that, but you know, we had
036to fight for that. You guys argued against it, fought us against it. We have to shut it shove it down your throat before we do. And it now you're happy because that was the right thing to do. But again, you know, it's we get this push back all the time and it's like having to force our kids to take their medicine. >> So, we don't want to do that, you know, because like you said, it's absolutely makes sense to have this plan. Absolutely makes sense. But how come we haven't done it? And you've been in how long have you been >> repeat? >> Oh, this is I'm going on my 12th year. >> Okay. 12 years and no master plan. Okay. I rest my case, right? >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions?
037>> Question. >> Yeah. So, I wanted to focus on the student housing. >> Yeah. >> So, how many total units do you have in student housing across the state? >> At Monoa, there's about 3,000 beds. And how many vacant? >> Oh, very little. We We are at like a 97% occupancy rate and others Hilo. I don't know the details of Hilo's um inventory. >> You can get that to >> Yes. Yeah. Westahoo. West Oahu has no student housing. >> Do they need student housing? >> Yes, >> that's a question in this plan. >> Yes. >> Wasn't there an attempt to build student housing and at that point? >> Yeah, I think there is a study. Um there was a a more what I would say a more informal study that uh so student housing um
038I think I just want to put out there um there's housing and then there's the cost of housing. So when we do these studies to find out what kind of housing um should the university be providing the context to that is what are people will what are students willing to pay because if you say do you need housing most people would raise their hand if it comes back at market prices how many hands go down right so the study really needs we need to know truly what that price point is going to be so that when we a can we afford to build it at that price point and then B if that way do we get a 97% you know 98% occupancy >> but the stats don't mean anything if you guys do the
039study and don't do anything with it for 10 years. >> Yeah. So hopefully we will do the study that looks at um what the true market a true market study is going to look at not just who says they need housing but it'll look at all the other elements like um again the the price point um the type of unit uh apartment style living um versus more freshman dorm style living all of that gets factored in. So that is the study that needs to be done at West Oahu. That has not been that was not done. >> And for the amount of student housing that you that you have that are in use, >> what percent are um you know mainland students and what percent are local students? Do you have that count? >> I
040just know um because we have students from the neighbor islands that come to the university that we help. >> Yeah. Notionally at Monoa um it's about 60% is not our non-resident students and 40% are resident students. Notionally >> it's the same charge for both students resident and >> yes yes. >> Thank you. No other questions. Thank you very much. We're are going on to uh Senate Bill 2802. Uh this appropriates monies to establish a bachelor's degree programs in education and in agriculture science at Leeward Community College and fund two FTE positions and supplies to support the program. Uh Carlos Penel penalta welcome. >> Aloha Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kidani, members of the committee. Carlos Pyosa Leward Community College Chancellor and uh West Dahu interim chancellor. Uh on behalf of the university, we stand on our
041written testimony, but can elaborate a little bit more. Um with this bill appropriating positions and funds to established balorates in teacher education as well as agriculture at Leeward Community College, the university's position is to uh redirect the efforts to what we've already been investing in from uh last year through now. A couple of the key uh uh investments are uh a pretty robust uh uh exploration of the articulations between Leeward Community College and uh West Oahu and the university as a whole to align teacher education to be a more true 2 plus two uh without necessarily duplicating uh uh programming at adjacent institutions. Um, additionally, uh, the recent appointment, my appointment over both Leeward and uh, West Oahu to help alleviate some of the barriers that exist administratively to make it work. Um, in both
042of these areas, we're seeing opportunities. We see the capacity that uh, West Oahu has. And so, the university's position is to uh, focus in that effort at this point rather than uh, creating duplicative programs. >> Okay, your time is up, but we're going to have questions for you. So, we're going to elaborate. So, none of this fire. So, we'll do that. Let me call you back up. >> Okay. From the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Bio Security. >> Okay. Please introduce yourself. >> Yes. Hello, chair, vice chair, members of the committee, Cedric Gates here on behalf of DAB. Uh DAB stands on its written testimony offering support of this measure. Uh this will help contribute to the ongoing work that we have with LCC uh regarding our bio security uh program to train and uh
043retain workers for DAB. Uh this is uh something that we prioritize in light of uh the recent investment by the legislature uh to DAB for these types of programs and here for any questions. >> Thank you. Carlin McFaten testifying for Hawaii Food and Policy. Not here. Nicole Galas Galiss for Hawaii Cattleman's Council. Brian Yamoto for Hawaii Farm Bureau. Let's see him. Erin Mendelson also in support individual. And Leilani Dlo. Anyone else here wishing to justify on this measure? Okay. Hearing none. Carlos if you can come back. Uh, so Carlos, you folks at Leeward? >> Yes. Your Leeward hat on. Um, have a two-year associates degree here. And then what this bill is asking is that you go on for two more years to get a bachelor's. But you're saying that West Oahu, which is not
044far away, has a fouryear. So why is there a problem? Um, and why the need for this bill if things are working? Um, and so historically, uh, there should there should have always been alignment between the community colleges and the four-year institutions. Often times, the curriculum begins to drift. Um, and so what's happened is that the community college students haven't had the mo the clearest of pathways. Additionally, when you enter at a community college, you may have the option of going to the College of Ed Monoa or uh West Oahu, depending on the advising track that you take. um if you end up going to the other institution uh it adds on time it adds on uh cost to to completing the balora degrees over time that drift has resulted in bigger barriers for our
045students to make it through and so right now the focus is realigning it starts with general education additionally the programmatic requirements so that it becomes a true 2 plus two where the advising is clearer and the tools that we have to promote the students going from one institution to the other are in better alignment right now. Those are some of the technological investments that we've created to facilitate some of that advising. The vision over this idea of having me oversee both Leeward and West Oahu is for a student to see the light at the end of the tunnel rather than right now it's blurry. You enter at the community college and you may have options but it's not always very clear. We want to clarify that and ensure that that student knows where they're moving,
046the progress that they're making, and that their advising plan be set in stone from the day that they metriculate, and that it doesn't evolve over time. That's what the realignments and curriculum and having the removal of some of these administrative barriers will allow us to do. >> You know, I'm always told that those at the University of Hawaii people right in the state. And yet to see that we've had these issues and we have had concerns about West Aahu. We've had the concerns about the promise of what it would bring for the for the people on the west side of the island. And yet to hear finally what we've been concerned about that there doesn't seem to be that kind of transition, that kind of connection, that kind of working together to assist the students
047coming out of the community college so they can feel welcome and feel good about moving on and know that they're going to be moving on. Now, it's it's great that you are in you're wearing two hats because you make that transition clear now because you have both interests there, but what about all the other campuses? Because if this is continuing at all the other campuses where it is, they're having a hard time transfer not just that, but transferring their credits. Professors at the university don't want to honor the credits because they didn't teach it. So, you know, there's this disconnect in the system. Now it's hopeful that with this new president things are changing but for the past 10 years and such it's been going on and and poor students you know that have not
048had the benefit of this kind of collaboration uh which should be happening and again you know some of the higher paid positions are at the University of Hawaii and yet these things are not happening and then you know get criticized or I get criticized for being a bully for asking these questions when in fact or I have a vendetta. Yeah. My vendetta is for the kids, for the students, for the people of Hawaii, and somebody's got to speak out for them if if we're not doing our job, and if it's business as usual at the university or at DOE for that matter, that you know, there needs to be an acknowledgement and there needs to be some changes that take place. So, does it take a a new leadership? Perhaps. And in this case, yes.
049So, I'm very hopeful that the new president is going to continue to look at innovative ways on how we make this transition happen so that we don't have to create more programs in every community college because that was never the intent, right? >> That's right. >> So, you know, it's people like you have to make this happen. So, I hope that, you know, we can see that. >> Thank you. And I will elaborate on just a little concept here. the community colleges have really focused on uh statewide access, the articulations and the alignments that we're working on. While right now the more immediate beneficiary will be Leeward and uh West Oahu, the goal is to realign so that all of the community colleges have that same pathway. Um and we've been doing that both in
050teacher education as well as in agriculture because of all of the work that we've been doing with our partner uh workforce folks. >> Senator, >> thank you. Um will any of these funds be used for administrative overhead or is it just going directly to the students like >> so so right now we didn't define how these funds would be used should they be appropriated. Uh right now we have existing capacity at uh West Oahu to grow the teacher education program and the goal would be to use existing resources. If there would be any realignment it would be to support that pipeline and encourage more students to enroll in teacher education and in agriculture. Uh but right now from an administrative overhead we're not looking at investing in in those spaces. >> Okay. How much how
051many students would you say these funds could service? >> Um that that's a little bit of a difficult question to to answer at this juncture. I don't want to second guess. I could come up with numbers and provide more to the committee. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any questions? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. We are moving on to Senate Bill 3050. This is direct Honolulu Community College in partnership with state agencies and maritime employers to conduct a study and develop a plan for statewide maritime youth apprenticeship program for individual ages 16 to 24. Requires report to the legislature with recommendations. Uh we have Candace Park, the deputy attorney general. Good afternoon. The Department of the Attorney General recommends identifying the law as a matter of statewide consent. >> Thank you. >>
052Got it. Thank you. Um Caholani Duklo. >> Aloha. Um >> aloha. Um we stand on our written testimony. Mahalo. And we're available for questions. >> Okay. Also, uh, Tina Yamaki, not here, >> not on Zoom chair. >> Okay. Uh, let's see. We have number of others. Sher Mano in support. William Anderson in support. Melissa Pavichek, Kieran Poke, Johnny May Perry, Leilani Dlo. Uh, all in support. Anyone else here wishing to testify in this measure? Hearing none. Uh, members questions. No questions. Okay, moving on. Senate Bill 3238. This is relating to language access. Establishes a language access education and workforce development program at the University of Hawaii. Let's see. Deborah Halbert, University of Hawaii, followed by Amy Abayani. >> Aloha, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kanani, members of the committee. My name is Alan Rosenfeld. I'm the
053associate vice president for academic programs and policy. Here on behalf of Vice President Halbert, uh we stand on our written testimony in support of the measure. And I would just say briefly, we noted in the testimony that Capilani Community College offers um a series of nonredit trainings, but uh Manoa does offer many more languages uh in their in their um their arsenal there. So that is a a benefit service that they could provide. Mahalo. And I'm available for questions. >> Great. Thank you, >> Amy. We stand. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh Liza Gil, is that Liza or Lisa? >> Liza. >> Okay. >> Testifying for Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights. >> Yeah. Aloha, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Liza Ryan Gill with the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights. We represent about 30 immigrant
054serving organizations across the Pyina. We're in strong support of this bill. And I'll just call out um since we have Senator from from Maui here. When we were working with Lahina survivors, about 30% of them were limited English proficient. We worked directly with the Department of Health and Human Services to help get bilingual, bicultural um case managers uh that were funded by FEMA. It was very difficult to find folks that had the proper training to be able to take those positions. And on the continent, it was also very challenging because they didn't have the right languages for here. So, right now, we're graduating a number of students over about a hundred from Wip Pahu High School. um a great program with the sila biiteracy. Just like they have similar glide paths around getting youth into
055healthcare settings, we need to make sure that we have our youth have a glide path into interpretation services because uh these positions are necessary under title six for all of our state agencies to also provide language access. Mahalo. >> Thank you. >> Mike Nulan not here. >> Not on Zoom chair. Okay, thank you. Oh my god, we have about 20 others in support of this measure. Anyone else wishing here wishing to testify on this measure? Hearing none members questions. >> I guess guess I have a question for University of Hawaii. >> Are we looking at this as a credit or nonredit? Um it's not clear in the legislation and that was um one of our requests in the testimony. Um it could you could if the bill could either specify whether one whether nonredit is
056preferable or credit or both combination of both. The advantage to nonredit is because in the bill it says that intent is to serve also community members. Um if you wanted to open up access so that the admissions requirement and the high costs of credit based tuition weren't a barrier to community members then the nonredit option would be a plus. positive perhaps that could be done through outreach college. Um and again because Monoa offers languages that the other campuses do not that could help um provide the the workforce demand that folks colleges offer languages. >> Yes, they do. So I believe at Copilan Community College they only offer uh Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese and French. So Manoa of course Spanish Tagala Gilano etc etc. >> But those at the community college is that nonredit? >> They have
057a nonredit. Yes. Correct. And they're working to put to move it fully online and offer a series of courses. And also at Copy Line, what they're doing that's good is they have industry specific. They have a a course or series of courses focusing on the courts and another one for medical settings because just because you're bilingual doesn't mean you know all the terminology. If you don't know I don't know a lot of the medical terminology in English, let alone translating it in a different language. So that's also important. >> Okay. Thank you for that. >> Thank you so much. Um so what would this program what languages would this program target as the other uh community colleges do not? >> Great question. So my my assumption because I saw that the bill came through the
058Filipino caucus is that you know u Phil Tagalog in and I ilo would be central but I think the idea is to open it up to a variety of of languages. I mentioned Spanish as an obvious example that are not offered uh typically at the community colleges. So if this uh does become accredited, uh do you see there being this being able to partner with the workforce after they graduate? You know, like Japanese, right? So they can go work in the >> Yes. So that I I believe that's the intent of the bill because they do mention that um a requirement is the uh the internship um that the students could complete during their studies so that they would have these sort of um articulated pathways into the workforce. What are some of examples of
059those interest? >> Um, >> well, the possible areas I mentioned medical is one. Um, another one's the courts. Another one, uh, is social work. Um, and I I imagine I heard that there were 20 different testifiers. They probably have more examples of where there's a need. >> Yeah. Perfect. Okay. Thank you, Chair. >> Thank you. Questions. >> Amy, you had a question. >> Okay. >> The plan I would be to operate for credit as well as nonredit. It's not just high school kids that we're recruiting who have obtain the single bi literacy from but and some of these students already at the various campuses and there are also graduate students and PhD students who would benefit from this and enroll in existing um credit classes and also outreach and and Thank you. So I guess
060the question to University of Hawaii is that going to add any cost as far as if we go credit and nonredit >> if it's a quick answer you can answer there if not come forward and I guess there's costs on both sides but right now on the side of the university is there additional cost to deliver both? I don't want to say that there's that there's no costs, but um of course, especially when you're talking about tuition based when the students are paying at higher tuition rates, that that offsets the cost of the instruction. But um generally speaking, as long as I mean, my personal analysis or belief is that if you have full classes and students are paying tuition, then the classes usually balance out. I think where we run into deficiencies is where
061we have classes where you're paying the instructor, but there's only a handful of students. So, but you can put you can put requirements on there that you only hold a class if you can. Yes. Have so many seats, right? >> Yes. And they can hopefully recruit cohorts and then they can offer um both courses because they already have the language courses. So, I think the capacity exists there, but where they might need to build out is to have the industry specific uh focus that's already in place at Copyani. >> So, you can't go and do nonredit and feel like, oh, this is something I really want to go and get credit. Then you can transfer or or change to a credit. >> Well, so you'd have to be admit if it's uh Monoa, then if
062you want to do credit at Monoa, you have to be admitted as a student, >> right? But you get would you get any kind of credit? the fact that she's done the nonredit >> I think that is it seems like that's the intent of the bill and that's also it seems like what they're focusing on copy aligning because they say they're trying to build those pathways I believe from nonredit into credit and yes and also as uh the past testifier Amy Aayani mentioned that there are students who already are credit based and have the language skills um that they could already tap into that market as well so thank you >> thank you >> okay there's no other questions we are moving on uh Senate Bill 3062 Two, this provides the University of Hawaii and
063its campuses and state libraries may utilize liquor in certain educational settings without obtaining liquor licenses subject to certain limitations. We have a lot of people on this one as well. Um, Keith Hayashi, University of Hawaii, I'm sorry, from DOE. Hello, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kani, members of the committee. Shantima, assistant superintendent, testify on behalf of the Department of Education. The department stands on our written testimony which provides comments on this measure. The department is requesting a specific amendment to exclude libraries that are on or near school campuses. Liquor possession or use of alcohol is strictly prohibited on public school campuses. and state law HRS281-39.5 prevents the issuance of liquor license to any establishment located within 500 ft of an elementary, intermediate, or high school to further limit alcohol presence near campuses. Thank you for the
064opportunity to testify. We stand by for questions. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you. >> Alu Hokuana. Hi chair, vice chair, committee members. My name is Denise Shimmore Yamamoto. I'm the associate vice president for the community colleges on behalf of here on behalf of Zui Hokuana. Um we st strongly support this measure and stand by our testimony, but I'm here for any questions you may have. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh Kieran Poke, Chamber of Commerce of Capolet on Zoom. >> Not on Zoom, chair. >> On Zoom. Okay. Uh Stacy Aldridge with comments and Johnny May Perry opposing. Anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure hearing? None. Uh let's see. Members questions. >> Questions. Go ahead, Senator. >> This is for the libraries. >> Libraries. >> Sean, not the libraries. >> Okay. There's nobody here
065from the libraries. Yeah. My my question there if someone out there in TV land is listening. Um how will they control the amount of alcohol being brought in? Is there going to be police presence what to make sure that other uh library users cannot jeopardize? Again, I'm not testifying for them, but when I when I watch stuff on TV where you have these little bookstores or you have places where they have like a little coffee bar or perhaps a wine bar that they definitive places that you can be in and you can't take it outside or I don't know. I'm just guessing. But yeah, of course you guys, TV is real. Don't you know that? I'm kidding. Senator. >> Yeah, I I was actually going to ask a similar question to that. Thank you, Senator
066Kedani. So, maybe Sean, if you could come up. Uh, so currently your administrative rule says that alcohol is not permitted within 500 ft of schools. >> That's a that's a law. >> Yeah. Um, and so is this more of an enforcement effort? Is it more of um Yeah. So, I I'll say that. is more of an enforcement effort or or what will try what is the accomplishment of this because it's already in law. So >> I think we're just we're just citing that as something to support not having it on or near our school campuses >> within 500 ft. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> So do you have libraries within state libraries within 500 ft of the school? >> We have some on campus on campus. Yeah. Th so this will only apply your situation
067only apply for those that are not on campus or outside of the 500 street. >> Correct. >> Like our state library here and some other libraries that might >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. Can I have um uh >> so how does uh envision I can I'm eni envisioning some things but how does uh envision this having the ability to have liquor in some of your establishments? Yeah. So, we feel that it will be beneficial for a lot of our R&D um part of our workforce training program with our culinary um with our culinary institute of the Pacific as well. You know, it will be a training restaurant. Um anytime we would be serving or handling alcohol, it will be for educational purposes. U we do not want to compete with any local bars or anything
068like that. We would u comply with yellow card training for anybody who is handling the liquor. Um but it's to allow us to be able to have some flexibility you know to bring um alcohol for um distilling processes to learn um put it into recipes uh cosmetology but also for food service you know it's always it can be an element in in um our culinary programs but also really mainly for our restaurant as well. So currently in the culinary programs, liquor is not handled in any way or incorporated in any way. >> So we do have some instances where our culinary programs are actually um run by a third party and through that third party they are able to establish a liquor license and they take that liability. Um and then we also do have
069times when we have events and we do get the liquor license for the day or for the event. Yeah. Um but we don't you know um host any type of liquor event. Yeah. >> Is it the intention for the university to possibly look at this in um broadening like say after hours at their student student cafeterias or like in West Aahu you have the ACM little uh area there where kids hang out and get refreshment stuff like that. Is there intent by the university to at some point look at including >> liquor? >> The only way that I can envision that to be um related would be if it was then um the servers were a part of our culinary program and it was a culinary event then I can see that happening but it's
070definitely not for us to hold a party or again to compete with any establishment that serves liquor. >> I see. Okay. Thank you members. Any other questions? No other questions? Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Senate Bill 3024. This is relating to sex bias discrimination. clarifies and strengthens the state protection against sexbased harassment, sex discrimination and retaliation that occur in public schools. Harvard charter schools are at the University of Hawaii, including discrimination based on gender identity of expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions, establishes procedures for investigation, decision- making, and requires mandatory reporting by certain employees. Um, we have a number of testifiers. Uh, starting with Chris Koffield testifying for the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, not here. Koku Pac not here. Candace Park, Deputy Candace. >> Good afternoon, Chair Kim, Vice
071Chair Kadani, members. Um, Deputy Park had to step out. out. I'm Anne Horyuchi from the Department of the Attorney General. Um, as noted in our testimony, the department is recommending an amendment adding a statement identifying the bill as a law of statewide concern. Thank you for the opportunity. >> Okay. Thank you, Sandy Livingston. >> Not on Zoom, chair. >> Okay. Not on Zoom. Uh, Nichols Leven Lever, sorry. Leveres, >> also not on Zoom. >> Okay. Abby Simmons, >> not on Zoom. Chair, >> not on Zoom. Okay. Elizabeth uh, Juben Fujiwara on Zoom. Aloha, Elizabeth. >> Oh, sorry, Chair. Elizabeth is not on Zoom at the moment, but we have Anna Izzy instead. >> Okay. I'm sorry. Anna Izzy, is that what you said? >> Yes, sir. >> Yes, Chair. >> Okay. Thank you. Welcome, Anna.
072>> Aloha, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kirani, and members of the committee. My name is Anna Ezie. I'm testifying in support of SB 3024 on behalf of Every Voice Hawaii. We're a student survivor and recent alumled coalition working to address gender violence on college campuses and we're in strong support of this bill because the current federal but if the if this were to be a compliance ceiling, it would effectively tie school administrators hands behind their backs to when it comes to dealing with the most common forms of sexual misconduct. And you can see stories from frustrated students in my written testimony. But by strengthening state protections, the legislature can give Hawaii schools the legal tools to implement best practices and create truly safe campuses free from sex-based discrimination. Mahalo for the opportunity to testify. >> Thank
073you, Anna. Laura Nakan Nakanua on Zoom. Chair and committee members, I stand in opposition of this bill for reasons that include uh the existing title X um laws that we all are well acquainted with. I feel as though um this law, this this proposed uh uh legislation goes far beyond clarifying protections and instead imposes sweeping mandates that create some legal uncertainty, heightened liability, and substantial administrative challenges to our public schools by requiring access to bathrooms, locker rooms, and sex segregated facilities and activities based solely on gender identity. The bill I feel overlooks critical privacy and safety needs especially for young children in enclosed intimate spaces where vulnerability is heightened and supervision is often simply limited. So I, you know, would ask that schools have the flexibility to implement reasonable and evidence-based policies that prioritize first
074and foremost the protection and comfort of all of our students, particularly minors, while preserving biologically grounded distinctions in such private settings and in competitive sports. >> Thank you, Laura. Your time is up. Appreciate. >> Thank you very much. Thank you. Michael Golovich >> in support. >> Uh good afternoon, Michael Goly Jr. Heim pronouns from the uh president of Private Work Hawaii. First off, we'd like to say happy thumb appreciation day. Um all joking aside, uh we stand in strong support of this legislation. Uh I'd like to thank the previous testifier for highlighting the need for this bill. Uh we've seen day after day for the last year and a month uh constant attacks against um protections for our LGBTQIA plus community for survivors of sexual abuse. Um we need to we need we need more
075protections not less. This codifies what was supposed to be happening in Title N and protects our students. And as you see in our testimony that this this is sorely needed. We encourage you to pass it um and send the message loud and clear that we will protect all of our students no matter K through uh university. Uh thank you for hearing this bill. We look forward to it passing. Mahalo. >> Thank you Scott Johansson also on Zoom. >> Yes. Hello. >> Aloha. Uh sorry. trying to turn the video on. Uh my name is Scott Johansson. I am individual individual uh in support of this bill 3024. Uh the uh athletics page does signify and tell us that uh athletics is an important part not just for athletics in itself but it's a a part of
076our life is part of the education process. It is provides lots of values and to exclude people be based on their gender identity uh needs to be protected. You cannot protect people's rights by excluding other people of those same rights. Please vote yes for this bill. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Joey Badua >> on Zoom. >> My name is Joey Badu. testifying as my person, as a trans person, um, as someone who went to public school, as someone who did not have the language to say how my gender identity was when I was young, and hearing all the hate from the testimony today and reading them, it it pains me. It makes me feel like I do not belong as someone who's gender non-binary. I went I'm also a Catholic and God told us
077to love each other. He reached out to the worst of the worst, you know, and we are being depicted as the worst of the worst. We are being depicted the same way I Epstein is is as as a pervert or whatever. But look, no trans people are on the FE list and filed, okay? We're just regular people wanting to mind our business. And so this is someone who lives this Kate. And I I I urge you to look within your hearts to see to clock the hate, to clock the hate and support this bill. Thank you. >> Thank you, Cameron Miamoto on Zoom. >> Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kedani, and members of the Senate Committee on Education. Mahalo for this opportunity to testify today in strong support of SB3024. My name is Cameron Miiamoto and
078I'm the co-president of P Flag Oahu. We represent parents, friends, families of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people. Our families are loving of our LGBTQ students and want to ensure they'll be continued to have safe learning environments in K through 12 and our universities. Um, our families are scared for the well-being of their students and we really want to ask you to pass this bill today so that we can ensure them that they'll be protected as um legislation and mandates are coming down across the nation which are not supportive of our LGBTQ students. So, please vote today in support of SB 3024. Mahalo. >> Thank you, Michael Hurley. Hello. Uh, my name is Michael Hurley. I am government affairs counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression or FIRE, testifying against two parts of this
079bill. We all agree that universities have a moral and legal obligation to respond to sexual misconduct, but currently this bill crosses two important constitutional lines. First, its definition of sex-based harassment is over broad and out of step with both Supreme Court president and Title 9 regulations. Uh the Supreme Court has defined student on student harassment as behavior so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive uh that students are effectively denied equal access to an institution's opportunities. Many courts have cited Davis to strike down over broad harassment definitions like this bill's noting that they reach speech protected by the First Amendment. Uh this bill's definition falls far short of the Davis standard and will reach campus protests, student media, and other protected speech. Uh second, the bill lacks basic procedural protections constitutionally required by courts uh or through
080federal title 9 regulations, including providing respondents with detailed notice of allegations, holding a hearing, and allowing each party access to all the evidence in the institution's possession. I identify more gaps in my written testimony, and I'm happy to take questions. >> Thank you very much. Jan Go, University of Hawaii. Uh, University of Hawaii stands on its written testimony with comments. >> Okay. Would you like to share some of the comments considering the nature of all of this? >> Okay. Uh, yeah. I think uh I was just scrolling through um the the federal regulations on Title 9 with regards to the process for how to deal with the complaint and the investigation process. It's fairly detailed. It's like 26 pages long. Um and we are still combing through um I think some of the more detailed
081nuances of the measure. Uh but but there is concern for there being um some conflict between uh the way the bill is currently written and some of the express language of the federal regulations. So, we would encourage um probably experts, legal experts with a title N background to really kind of comb through all of this and see make sure that we're not putting um the university or the DOE in a situation where complying with one will mean non-compliance with another. >> Okay, we'll call up the AG after this. Um Kayashi Good afternoon, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kedani, members of the committee. Sean Bacon, assistant superintendent for the Office of Talent Management, speaking on behalf of the department. We stand on our written testimony offering comments and just a little bit to elaborate. So, the department
082supports really the intent of this to strengthen protections against sex-based harassment and discrimination. We want to note that we currently use existing state administrative rules and board policies to cover some of the gender uh identity protections that are absent in the 2020 Title 9 regulations. I think one of the things that we'd like to really dig into a little bit deeper on this is some of the definitions. Uh one for example is like decision maker. Um for decision maker for a student for example when we're using chapter 19 the decision maker may be a school level administrator. when we're using title 9 regulations, it could be a panel decision maker. Also, there can be some um distinctions between classified and certificated employees within the department. So, uh we're available for answer any other additional questions.
083Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Yankee Overly for a UW. >> Aloha. Aloha, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kanani, and members of the committee. Thank you for this opportunity. Uh, I am uh representing AAW Hawaii, whose mission is to advance gender equity through education and advocacy. We must, we are in strong support of SB 3024 to strengthen Hawaii state title 9 law against uh weakened protection against discrimination, gender based discrimination based on the federal title 9 roll back on regulation. Um, I did want to we uh we have submitted our testimony, but I did want to respond to some of the things that was said here. Um, I see I ran out of uh basically I want to point out that we had a TOE regulation on transgender students since 2016. I'll be happy to share
084that with you. I also agree with uh uh and DOE that we could update administrative rules to match if you pass this. We did this in 2018. I believe we could do it again to protect transgender students. Thank you for listening. >> Thank you very much. >> See, Maddox Suchia, welcome. Thank you, chair and members of the committee. My name is Maddox Kivisuchia, testifying as a private citizen as well as the uh president of the debate team at uh Manoa. I would like to pro uh stand on my written testimony as well as providing additional comments as to key opposition to this bill. Uh there is vast concerns regarding whether or not this bill is still in line with federal title 9 guidelines. I would like to specify that within the bill itself, it adds
085on additional practices for investigations and decision-making, but it doesn't add a clause that says, "Oh, and also disregard every single other federal mandate." uh already follows federal laws in countless other areas from the First Amendment to Brown v. Board of Education and has done this for years and years and years and years. This bill eliminates none of that. It maintains that the university must follow every single federal law that does exist. It only enshrines further protections and requires that the university respond to the 265 Title 9 complaintants of which they only investigated two in their act 242 reporting. I think the legislature wants to >> Okay, thank you very much. Christian Fern, University of Hawaii um professional assembly with comments. See, we have I'm not going to read everybody's name because we have 53 in
086support. We have opposing seven and comments from four. Is anyone else here or on Zoom wishing to testify on this measure? Hearing none members, we are open for questions. >> Question. Senator, this is both for someone from the university as well as DOE. How are you now handling the transgender bathroom facility issues? >> Good afternoon, Chair Kim, Chair Kani, and members of the committee. I'm Nicoima. I'm with the Department of Education, the Civil Rights Compliance Branch. Um so in regards to our transgender youth, we do have our guidance and supports for transgender students that has been in effect um since our 2016 2017 school year. And in terms of facilities such as access to um restrooms and lock rooms, um our transgender our students are um allowed to access to facilities that are aligned with
087their gender identity. >> Okay. And how are the other students taking this? Do you have complaints? Have you had any issues? Since 2016 um we have had some concerns for some students. Um it has students or from their parents >> from parents. Um students are more in our experiences students tend to be more understanding of their peers and very supportive. Um in terms of concerns from parents it hasn't been many. Um I don't think it's I don't think it's been more than a handful but I can't don't quote me on that. Um in terms of that um what we do is that we allow um if any student transgender or non-transgender has any kind of privacy concerns then they are they we do offer alternatives for them such as a single stall gender neutral um
088faculty or health room facilities um for use. >> Thank you. >> Good afternoon chair, vice chair. Um to answer your question, Senator >> identify yourself. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Jennifer Rose, uh office of institutional equity. Also, I am the interim title 9 coordinator for uh Manoa. Uh we have uh executive policies that are in place specifically protecting students um based on gender identity and sexual orientation. After the 2020 regulations were put in place, we strengthened all of our policies and procedures. And when the Biden regulations were vacated, we went back and reverted to those procedures. As far as a specific question about restrooms, um we have both uh designated all uh gender restrooms for students to access as well as a separate um male and female facilities. As far as complaints, we're unaware of any
089concerns or requests for opt out of shared facilities as of today. >> Okay. So what you're saying is um for gender equity the student that a female student who um >> feels that she is a male can go into the male bathroom and you haven't had complaints. >> We have not received compl any complaints to any of our title N offices. I mean we recently checked on this. There was a data point that was requested um as recently as three weeks ago. So that is that is current. So there have been no official complaints that have been made >> or any kind of incidents. >> Not that I am aware of as the Monoa Title N coordinator or that I've been made aware of from other title N coordinators from the other nine campuses. >>
090Thank you. And for DOE also have no incidents that you are aware of. >> Our office has not been aware of any incidents regarding our transgender youth and restrooms. >> Thank you. >> Question. Can you respond to the testimony that of the numerous numerous complaints that only two have been investigated by the your department or university? >> Thank you, chair. Uh I think I understand it. That's from we have first of all I want to thank the women's legislative caucus and both the chair chair and vice chair for your leadership on title n issues. As you probably know, we worked with the women's legislative caucus during the preession. Um we had shared our act 242 annual data which some of these questions I think are coming from. I think there might be some misunderstanding both
091from our climate survey data which we have done by independent researcher Omnitra I think you're familiar with them um and then our act 242 data which is required by the legislature in September as an annual report. So I think some of the data that's being referenced is from the year before because the this year's data I I don't hear it being uh quoted as far as the number of complaints moving forward. It's the aggregate number of formal complaints. This doesn't mean that uh students aren't seeking support. I mean as a title N coordinator I meet with students on a regular basis. A lot of students are seeking supportive measures which we work in very great detail with them to ensure they want a no contact order, if they want academic adjustments, if they want support
092with mental health and other community resources, that's something that both Title 9 coordinators and confidential advocates and everybody that's trained in this area can do. It doesn't mean that students necessarily want to go forward with a formal investigation, and many choose not to. Also because of the wisdom of the state legislature in 2016, our faculty members are mandatory reporters. So that means that of the 300 and something reports, many of them are from third party folks like faculty members or campus security. And then when we actually do the reach out to the students or to the victims, they may not want to engage in the process at all. They might be a domestic violence survivor that is trying to navigate through and making sure that getting their education is the number one priority. So we
093work very closely with both community advocates and campus advocates to that end. So I think what I would um love to see chair is um during the interim we have offered um the women's legislative caucus to have a briefing so that you can understand the data in a more qualitative manner and the women's legislative caucus co-chair uh representative Ichyama has encouraged us to try to provide more qualitative data because there's only certain uh data points that are being requested. So you can have a a a fuller picture of sort of all of the points in which students are engaging in the process. Also in our climate survey we have um uh actually done a comparison with national based on the AAOU uh universities. So those are the uh research one institutions across the country. We
094are doing far better in terms of students awareness of resources and students awareness of the title 9 coordinator much better than the national. I'm happy to provide that data for you. Could we be doing better? Yes. But we also support survivor autonomy so that we're not forcing students into a formal investigation process if they don't feel comfortable or safe in doing that. And thank you for the opportunity to answer that question. >> Okay. Let me further ask questions. So, how many complaints aggregate complaints did you receive last year? >> Uh, I don't have the data for the aggregate in front of me. Um, I >> I think you reported. >> Yeah, I have data for >> just really quick if you can just give us a number. >> Okay, >> so for uh school year
0952022 2023 that is the most recent act 242 report that is publicly available. This is why everyone testifying has cited that information rather than any data for what's number 265 complaints. 194 did not move forward informally or formally. I understand that that was a key concern. Only two of those received a full investigation from the university in which an official decision was rendered. So those are those. >> Thank you for that. >> And that would also be because those are the students that are choosing to move forward formally. So you have to look at the subset of the ones who choose to move forward formally to get look at what the actual final outcome is. mean I can actually uh digest some of that data for you and and give it to you and actually
096would love to meet with you too on on that data. >> That's going to be my next question. Have you reach out to the student body because I know a lot of the testifiers are from the university. So is there been some kind of dialogue with them explaining the data and so forth? I mean, we have had some conversations with student affairs folks and I had done a reach out last year to our uh systemwide student um government. Um but I do think that we should have more conversations around I don't I don't in terms of the safety issues and moving forward. I think what we could do in our climate survey is do more of a drill down of what the specific barriers are to moving forward because it all kind of gets lumped
097together. Some students do not move forward because they think what's happening to them, it's not it's not serious enough to violate the policy. So that means we need to do more education. Some students choose to not move forward because they don't want to put themselves at risk against somebody who may be a perpetrator that's a fellow student or even another employee. >> So yeah, we don't have the time to really go into all of it. I think these are this very important but it's important that you reach out to the students at the university and especially a number of them who might be on the fence at this point and not sure if they should be filing or not filing. Um but I think it's important that you not just meet with representatives but you
098somehow have these public forums. >> We will do that. >> Give them the opportunity to to voice these concerns and room for us to improve. >> Thank you. We'll do that. >> Okay. Members, any other questions on this? Not I want to call the AG up. Candace. So Candace, you heard the testimony that there are concerns, legal concerns, constitutional concerns. Is that something that your office looked at when you looked at this bill? >> I I believe they have, but I don't know if they've come to a conclusion, but I can ask them to report back. >> Okay. as we move forward. We would like that. Thank you. Members, no other questions. If not, thank you everyone. Um, we are moving on to >> Sorry to interrupt chair. We have a late comer on Zoom
099for Elizabeth Fujiara. >> Okay, Elizabeth, go ahead. Thank you for that reminder. Elizabeth, >> can you hear me now, Chair? >> Yes. >> Oh, great. Uh what I mostly wanted to say was that I think the concern here is that with the Trump administration basically tearing apart the federal DOE and there is no longer an office of civil rights that's really able to investigate that if we are able to adopt this bill as it is or make whatever modifications are necessary, it would really help the children especially especially the young girls in middle school and high school. Um I think that's the reality of what's going on on the ground and the DOE staff I believe are doing their best at this point but they uh just need more guidance uh and new legislation to
100help them go forward because of the Trump administration. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Thank you chair. I appreciate >> Thank you. We're going to move on to um Senate Bill 896, Senate draft 1, relating to the educ to education, establish new requirements for teacher ed, I'm sorry, required the Department of Education to submit annual reports to the legislature outlining certain information concerning capital improvement projects. require reports to be posted on DOE's website annually in a searchable format and provides that any CIP funds and covered for more than 5 years without commencement of construction shall be specifically identified and justified or shall be subject to legislative review for revision or reassignment. Uh with that we're calling up Sen Hoyuchi uh the AG's office. Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, members, and hurishi from the
101attorney general's office. Um, as we noted in our testimony, the new section being added to 302A um by section 2 of the bill requiring the annual that the DOE submit an annual CIP report to the legislature. Um, just based on the way that chapter 302A is organized, we suggest um actually adding that section to part five of 302A rather than part four. Um, we think structurally that makes organizationally makes a bit more sense. Um, also the pilot program within DOE's office of facilities and operations that would authorize superintendent to redesate funded vacant positions as positions exempt from chapter 76. um because wages are a mandatory subject of bargaining, we think that to address any kind of of of um issue with the language in the bill, we've suggested um an amendment in our testimony. Thank
102you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Keith Hayashi, Department of Education. >> Aloha, chair, vice chair, members. Jesse Suki, Deputy Superintendent of Operations for the Department of Education. The department stands on its written testimony which provides comments on the measure. But in summary, um the Department of Education supports the goals of the bill regarding improved CIP transparency and technical staffing, but requests flexibility to align reporting requirements with existing data systems. uh clarifying that attached agencies are excluded because they report differently and consideration uh regarding potential pay disparities created by the pilot program for exempt positions um allowing the adjustment of other salaries for equity. >> Thank you. Johnny May Perry in support opposing for HGA. Anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure? If not, um questions members? Jesse question? Have you folks compiled the
103CIP as we asked >> the request from your office? >> Yes, >> we we did submit um a compilation um based on the um template that was sent to us from your office based on what WHAM committee had requested and subsequently um you you let me know in a hearing that that wasn't what you asked. >> You said you were going to get me and you didn't get it. So, we working back and forth with your office to get to a a template that is acceptable. >> Jesse, we sent you the exact template that you guys sent us in 2023. No deviations, no nothing. We have we gave it to you guys. I don't know how come you can't just follow that. >> We So, we followed the template that was sent to us from
104a request from um Wham that was um not the one that you had requested. So we sent you a copy of the 2023 submitt that was I don't know 50 pages. I don't know how many page we sent you copies of that >> and we said this is what we want and we never got anything like that. You had different kinds. You had different but >> yeah we so yeah we did submit something um and we're working with your office on making some adjustments to that so we get it in a way that's acceptable. >> Okay questions members? Senator Ashimi, >> deputy, I so I I think, you know, I'm looking at your testimony regarding the pilot program for hiring um you know, exam positions. You know, I I guess this is our attempt at
105trying to figure out what can we do to make, you know, the some of the problems in the facilities branch kind of get figured out. And so, you know, I know it's not perfect, but I think part of it is what we need from you is what exactly do you need to make something like this work? I think there's some semblance that, you know, there's some changes that you folks want, but are we like what we really need to understand is it would you do this number one if we give this to you? If this is not the solution, then what is it that you guys need to fix facilities? So we we support um the concept there and when I say the concept I mean providing increased uh the ability to provide increased salary
106for um engineers and architects and folks working on um these delivery of u CIP would be very helpful because we're competing with the open market and salaries are high. Um we were just asking that you allow us to uh have par with other positions that are existing. Um, I haven't read um the union's testimony, but I'm sure that that might be part of it, the parody part. Um, so we want some flexibility with that. >> But you think it's workable? >> It's going to be helpful. Yeah, I I would have to work with our office of talent management to figure out how to implement it. But, uh, if it's helpful, it would be helpful. We've also we've increased salaries um a bit um and um staff tells me that we were able to recruit a
107couple of positions because of that. We recently did that about uh a year ago. So um but that's not as high. >> But we still have the delta though, huh? >> Yeah, there's the delta with the market. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you, chair. >> Other questions? >> Thank you. >> Sorry, Senator. >> Thank you, Jesse. Um when do you think you would be able to get that report to chair? Um so we sent we sent a um you know so after we were told that you know we need to make adjustments we sent um senator's office staff um what we thought might be a good one. Then there was comments and we got it back and we're going through the comments and then we saw this bill. So we we kind of wanted to after
108after we had we're done with this bill then you know we might make more tweaks talk talking to staff and then get that to them. Um, we've already started um compiling what we think, you know, would would meet the requirement. Um, but we'd like to get the the columns cleared away so we get it the way that the office wants it. So, I mean, that's a long answer. I'm sorry, but I I heard about two weeks. >> It wasn't an answer. Okay, two weeks. Yeah. Okay, that's an answer. That's an answer. Okay, thank you. >> Sorry. >> No, I know. Um but but no I I I think that you know the the system you folks really have to kind of get a secure stable system because different entities within the DOE system has their
109own kind of data um their own database if you call it that. But I think to be able to secure the information that the ledge is needing to be able to support the department is important. Um, and so I think that if we're still in the phases of gathering the data to make sure that we are making an informed decision decision, we are supporting the department in what you folks need to do, but then also that we're not getting strung along either. And I think we're close. I think we're getting there. So that's the only comment I wanted to say. Thank you, Chuck. >> Okay, so this is what we sent you. You sent us in 2020. Okay, this is it. the columns design obligated fund design obligation date construction obligation funds construction obligation date
110status estimated project completion and I think we added one more column so what I got in response to this is this and then I'm sorry we got this first in June of 2025 which said there was answer to that it doesn't even look close to it you have two columns this one has so many and Then from this you guys sent me this which another three columns which again is not what we asked for complete but we gave you this and this is what you sent us. We didn't make this up. This is what you sent us. We have a cover letter signed by the by this superintendent. >> Okay. And and then you told us you're going to get us something by Monday at the last hearing and this is what we completely get.
111I don't understand. >> Yeah. We So we sent you um by Monday. So the original deadline I think was was Wednesday and and we needed more time so we asked for more time. We got it in on Monday. We followed the template you that you sent us, but it was not the template that from it was not the same format of what we sent you previously. What what we was were given was the format that was requested by wham in a separate different request. So we we followed that. Well, but this letter is to is from the superintendent and it's in in in response to wham. >> Yeah. >> Okay. It's response to wham. So, this is what you sent us in 2023 in response to the WHAM question. And this is what I asked
112for several times >> before June submitt. And we sent copies of this so you folks know exactly what you sent to us because I guess you didn't you don't know what the right hand and left hand is doing at this point. And then we get all these other things. I I don't understand. How many pictures do I have to send you? >> So So we can get it in the in the form that you originally sent us. >> We we we really want to get it right for you. We're really trying. >> Okay. I'm just flabbergasted that we send you exactly what we asked for. Exactly. And you sent us this. Then why can't you make the columns and give us that information? >> Yeah. The the one we sent you recently was the the
113one you sent me recently is this one. >> Yeah. That's Yeah. And then we had >> It doesn't have all of the information on here. >> Yeah. So we have to fix it. So we're working on that. >> So in June you sent me this and it wasn't all the information. You said you're going to fix it. Then you sent me this in February. Then you say you're going to fix it and then now you're telling us you're going to send us one more. I I I I don't know what to say. And then people wonder why I get so frustrated. And yeah, something's wrong with with the delivery. Um, Superintendent, do you want to come and comment on this? Because this is your people. You know what we're asking for. >> Are you satisfied
114with what was being what is being sent to us? Do you know what is being sent to us? Hey, Senator. Um, in talking with Deputy Suki and our facilities development branch, um, I I do know that they've been diligently working with your office to try to get the um, information that you're requesting. Um, I I realize that the um, the data that was sent to you in 2023 um, that's what I believe deputy was asking coordinating with your office to get that information together. Um I I if I'm not mistaken that uh a list was sent to your office. Uh it wasn't what you had asked for. So that's what we're working on trying to get. >> Superintendent, I'm only asking for the form in which you sent us in 2023. Okay. In 2023, as
115a request by Wham from Senator Dela Cruz, you sent this. This is your work product, not ours. And all I'm asking for is an update of this. An update. >> The one the one we recently sent is the not the, you know, >> I want >> I'm not asking for anything new. I'm not making up anything. I want an update of what you provided so we can compare to see what changes has been made, what projects are still working or not there. Just update this. That's all. Simple. Okay. So, just >> how many times do we have to do this? >> So, so just for clarity because really going to want to get it right. You you want it exactly like that cuz the one that your office is working with us and is different
116from that. But we can we can >> My understanding is we sent you a copy of this. Why would I Why would I ask for anything else? We sent this and I think we wanted a final update because it doesn't say it says estimated project completion shortage and it misses hundreds thousands of dollars. But you don't tell us but is it finished? Is it done? So we wanted one more column to say finished or done. But again this is information that you provided. I want to update. I want to see if um Akahi Elementary's roof is finished. It says here construction. It says estimated project completion shortage $43,000. What does that mean? Okay. You have projects on here that we we don't know what the status is. And I want an update. All of these
117projects, we want an update. That's all we're asking for. I don't know how difficult. This is not rocket science. This is not even PhD level. This is 101. Follow the columns and give us the data. It's like fill in the blanks >> with the additional columns, right? Sum, >> but you should know what is the status. Has these all been done? What happened? It was shortage. So, where did that shortage money come from? Right? I mean, we want to know cuz some of this, you know, is a million dollars shortage. So, I want to know that. What is that? Fern Elementary. Million dollars. Ohio Elementary multi-purpose building. >> We'll get that update to you, Senator. Thank you. >> Okay. Any other standard report? >> Yeah. Um and I'm I'm not sure what the chair is
118uh looking at. I would also like to get a report of the CIP projects or funding that's available because when I had originally asked for the CIP projects in my district um that are pending that funds are going to be lapsed, I got a report and then I had a coach bring up uh some improvements on some funding for baseball field out in Anakuli. That was not on the report that I was given. So I had to go dig find out where the money is. There was an increase in funds. though that project is being put to the side. So it's like the the more I ask, the more I get, the more questions I have. And so unless I'm actually identifying certain projects with you folks and saying, "Okay, what about this project? Okay,
119what about the baseball field? Okay, what about this building?" Then it's like I I'm not getting the entire report of where the funding for CIP is just just in my community. Um I get a very general report and that doesn't help me. as example, Papa Hano Kayona, which the property is right now um being purchased uh through DOE. If it wasn't for me hounding the department on where the process is at with that school and the purchase of this property, now this school is right now being housed temporarily in a KS facility. They have to break down and set up every single day. So if it wasn't for me hounding the department to find out where exactly this is, everybody was just waiting for the next person, but nobody was talking to each other, right?
120So So this is why it's so important for us to get the data that we need so we can follow up to see where things are at. Is it at the AG's office? Is it with facilities? Where is this thing at? And I don't know unless I start asking question. I can only imagine on a statewide level the frustration that our chair is at having to look at all of these reports where I'm just asking for the basic stuff. Um, and again, I'm trusting the information you guys are giving me is accurate and then I get asked questions and then I find out that these projects are not on the reports you guys are giving me. So then I got to ask for more work. >> So Senator, thank you. Um I just want to
121clarif clarify for for my own sake that the um uh program that you had just referenced is is is the Alps program correct that's how's that it's not it's not a school it's right it's Alps program and that I I believe facilities is engaged um with the land owner um in uh securing that that parcel uh but we will get you an update on where we are with that parcel we are working with the I believe with the office of the attorney general working with the landlord to secure that. >> Yeah. So, what I was saying was that it was sitting on somebody's desk until I started calling around to see whose desk it was. So, to be fair, in the work that I am doing, had you guys had not pursued it, it would
122just still be sitting there. Well, right now, I don't need an update because I'm already making the contacts myself. So, if I didn't step in and start pushing things and making sure it was moving forward, I got to talk to the seller. I got to talk to the attorney general's office. I got to talk to DOE. I got to talk to all these different moving parts just to make sure that the funds are secure and we're able to get these students into their own facility. Right now, the school is maxed out. There is a desperate need for this program to this has to happen. And so I cannot rely on you guys. Yes. >> And wait for you guys to get back to me. I got to make the call. >> Facilities has as as
123I know as far as I know, Senator, facilities have been working diligently on that project throughout. Um there are there were some challenges uh that um related to remediation and such. I believe that uh um the our our facilities office was going through in working with the land owner. So um but I do know that they're diligently working at it. So we will get definitely >> well they're diligently working at it now to be fair they weren't because one party is waiting for the other party which I understand everybody has things that they're doing but what I'm saying is is when you folks tell us we will get that to you. I I your word doesn't mean anything to me anymore. I got to go pursue it. I got to make phone calls. I don't
124even know the people that I'm calling but I'm trying to figure out what's happening with this school that funding was appropriated like four years ago. Uh, so they're on it now, but to be fair, when I stepped in, nobody was moving things around. I had to go and poke through every department to see where this thing was. And the response that I got from everybody, DOE, from the AG's office, even from the land owner, everybody was just, "Oh, I'm waiting for them to get back. Oh, I'm waiting for them to get back. Nobody's talking to each other." So this is why I'm saying this reporting is so is so critical and I don't know how bad it is until I get something and then I realize it's there's more out there. So that's why I'm
125saying the basic reporting is important that we we don't have to go through all of this. Do you know? So thank you. Thank you chair. >> Thank you. Any other questions? >> No. Thank you. >> Okay. Moving on. Senate Bill 895. Establish new requirements for teacher-led kindergarten assessments in public and charter schools. Authorizes the Department of Education to adopt rules. Repeals certain requirements of the de department of education and state public charter school commission to share data with the department of human services. Uh first stop again is Keith Hayashi for the DOE. Heidi, >> good afternoon. Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kedani, and members of the committee. Heidi Armstrong, Department of Education. We stand on our written testimony offering comments. The department does find that the current standardized kindergarten entry assessment is effective for identifying student
126needs across all school types. We note that shifting back to the teacher-led observational assessments would replace the consistent statewide data with varying individual evaluations potentially complicating future efforts to measure the impact of the preschool investments. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. >> Thank you. Hawaii State Board of Education. Yoi Roy, >> the board of education um offers comments. The board defers to the department of education and executive office of early learning regarding the current implementation and goals of the kindergarten entry assessment. Uh the board also notes that um if the committee is open to it, it may be more appropriate to authorize the DOE to promugate admin rules related to kindergarten assessments as the department would continue to be responsible for implementation. But that's that's up to you. >> Okay, appreciate that. Thank you.
127Yuko or call. >> Hi, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kedani, member of the committee. I'm Yuko Adiko, director of the Executive Office on Early Learning. We offer comments on SB895 SD1 and we defer to the Hawaii Department of Education regarding implementation and funding. EO respectfully requests that kindergarten assessments remain uniform statewide and that EO retain access to the data needed to inform efforts to strengthen kindergarten readiness across Hawaii's mixed delivery early learning system. The current KA provides an opportunity to assess the impacts of recent statewide investments including the expansion of the public prek programs and the preschool open door subsidy. We have concerns that the proposed changes to the assessment would likely reduce the availability of consistent quantitative data needed to evaluate the the effects of these and future policy decisions. Thank you. Thank you. We
128have Edn for charter school commissions in support. PK Kalaka Bardi Teach for America >> in support not here. Uh, Annne Weber Yarborough, Teach for America in support. Grace Brown, also Teach for America in support. Millian Akaka Manfrey, Teach for America in support. Nak Nico Lani Warrington testifying for Kuna for Mouna in support. Cheryl Birkhart individual support. Johnny May Perry and Rain Koh Cahula Young also in support. Anyone else here on Zoom wishing to testify on this measure? Hearing none questions? Uh let's see who should I start with? So I guess DOE Heidi, >> what is the cost for the standardized assessment? It's $15 per student with a grand total of 157,000 um a year and that equates to $15 per kindergarten student >> across the state. Yes. $15. >> Okay. That includes our Hawaiian Hawaiian
129merchant students or something. >> No, no, that's the English medium for the for the CAO assessment this first year. It's $31 per student because we had to pay for the creation of the assessment. And in the future, we won't be paying additional um funding for that assessment. We'll own it. Okay. And then what did it cost us initially to get this um software or assessment or whatever? John Hopkins. Is that where we got it from? John Hopkins. >> Is that one the same 57? >> Um coming up to the podium is Dr. Lauren Pedeski. She is our early childhood specialist and she did leave this effort for us. >> Aloha chair. Thank you for your question. Vice Chair, committee members. Um the first year of the assessment was $232,312. >> Okay. What was the initial
130purchase of software or initial was 200 >> $232,32? >> We were told it was a million dollars. Remember that. We're in Kim Ki. We're visiting this the your headquarters over there. It was in the summer. We went on a um education education um site visit and we were told that this software that we were purchasing was going to cost a million dollars. We asked you to stop and not go forward. You said it was in the law. I said we would introduce a measure and I did. I introduced the measure in January. It passed out of committee and and you continue to say that the cost was a million dollars. So, where did that million dollars come from? Now, you're saying it only cost 232,000 >> in the first year. >> It I'm asking initially
131to set up this whole program. What did it cost? >> $232,312. >> And we have we have recurring funds. what we still have to pay every year and we're we're paying $157,000 because we're utilizing their services to aggregate the data. >> What was what so what has been the total spent so far? >> That would be the math 230. It's going to be a little bit over 500,000 at the 5year point. We are currently at year four and that has not yet been paid out. So, two, three, four. I'm doing math out loud. My >> So, we don't have an annual annual assessment other than the $15 per child. >> That the 15 we we do it is an annual assessment of $15 per child and that would be our annual cost of $157,000. >>
132Right. Okay. But there's not like another >> rental agreement or whatever contract agreement other than the assessment for a child. >> No. Okay. So number of testifiers testifying they're saying that uh this restores teacherled assessments practice reduce unnecessary administration and financial burdens and ensure that kindergarten assessments remain developmentally appropriate and instructionally focused. Um, so that has been a number of the concerns that's been raised regarding the need for to have a John Hopkins type of assessment versus the kindergarten teacher who really is best equipped to see each child and because each child is is very different. Right. >> Correct. and and our kindergarten teachers before the pre before the law was enacted. The kindergarten teachers historically did on their own assessed the their children when they came into their classroom and they did a great
133job. They assessed all different domains. They got the information they needed. The issue for the department from a broader educational viewpoint because each teacher had their own assessment. The department was never able to answer the qu where are your kindergarten children when they come in. What are the needs? Now that we have preschool, the questions are, are preschools making a difference? Are we seeing it? Unless we have a standardized assessment, whatever that may be, we can't produce any statewide data. And that's the issue. our kindergarten, you're right, our kindergarten teachers h have always been adept and um professional in assessing the students, but unless we have a standardized assessment, we can't um look at our kindergarteners from a statewide lens. So, you assess the kindergarteners when they come in within a month. Is that correct?
134If I read that correctly, it's >> yes, one month. So within a month the teacher assesses it and then what happens after that? >> So what happens after that is that the teachers are going to use that data to design specially designed instruction that those children might need. So for example, if they're assessing in those first couple weeks of school, they're observing one child has issues with fine motor, they're going to provide additional support for that child in fine motor. >> But they can do that without those without those. >> They definitely can't. Yeah, we just couldn't collect that data. Yeah. >> Okay. Then what happens? >> So after that, ideally what they're going to do across time is observe whether or not that child is making gains. And so for example, in the fine
135motor example, if we are observing that that child is not developing their fine motor skills alongside their peers, then that teacher would share that information with their professional learning community, inform the principal. They may have developmental needs that have been identified. But it would very much be dependent on the individual child as well. So it's not a hard line. Yeah. It's based on each child. >> But the assessment itself does not last, right? The assessment itself becomes outdated in couple months. >> Yeah. >> In terms of the beginning of school year. Is that what you mean? >> Yeah. I mean you assess at that level of kindergarten. They change so fast, right? I mean even within the one month the one month of you assessing them they change right so you have an assessment so
136it shares with you yes they went to preschool no they didn't go to preschool yes they have some motor skills yes which the teacher could have assessed that anyway and moved up but then the assessment is done doesn't I mean it's in three four five six months later that assessment could be totally outdated I agree with you. >> The child completely changes and so it it's not useful anymore other than giving everybody data. But how much data do you really need for three four years olds to get data that says okay maybe some of them quite cannot pronounce certain words or maybe some of them just is not socially adept which I mean it's not like scientific in the sense that the teachers themselves know and then can relate to the child and work with
137that child. any money spent can go for that child. And there's because I think that probably the majority of the numbers of the mainstream fall in the in the category that they're progressing as they should and then you're going to have the ones that which is where we want to concentrate a lot of our efforts and no matter what you say I don't necessarily know that the preschool itself is going to necessarily change that because they have the data because again it's subjective to each child right so because they have that just because a child or 10 children from this class goes into kindergarten and therefore is assessed as having trouble doesn't necessarily that they're going to get the same kind of 10 children next year that's going in preschool that's going to have the
138same problems. So I mean I just don't understand why the teachers in the classroom is not doing this. They are and they have been that the difference between the teachercreated assessment and this assessment is it gives us additional information and I think it's responsible information to have with the push for um preschools free public preschools statewide um we have been able in its initial findings because everything is new but to make some correlations between um students who have attended the preschools and how they're um progressing up to the the um kindergarten level and and um what areas are are are they doing well in and what areas can be strengthening. So from an educator's standpoint, that data is very valuable. >> Okay. >> So you have you have the assessment now, right? >> We do
139have the assessment. >> Okay. So why can't you just don't do the program? The teachers have the list, they have the assessments, they can follow that, >> right? So why do you need to to do this standardized I mean it's standard English medium you mean >> question yeah they're standard questions right >> it's a copywritten assessment and so we would still have to contract in order to use that even if we did not use the data system because we do not own the copyright >> yeah but some of the questions is not is not copyrighted in a sense that >> you ask similar type questions it's not rocket science that they can >> so use it without a contract Yeah. >> I mean, not the exact not ex No, not the exact questions. You would
140make up your similar questions, right? Because I don't know how many different questions how you can write a question in so many different ways. Did the did the child attend preschool? I mean, is that a copyright question? Did the child attend preschool? Is the child can read threeletter words? Is that a I mean, I'm just saying, Senator, keep going. >> Yeah. I guess my my question would be when is the assessment given? The first day of school, the first week of school >> within the first month. >> It's time bound to the first 30 school days of the year. >> The majority of the schools are conducting the assessment during their transition points in the first place >> and they're only given it once and that maybe mid year whatever. And and the reason I
141asked that is um if I remember my grandchildren when they went to kindergarten, they weren't happy not being being in a strange place and they kind of I won't say misbehave, but they weren't the best of students and they weren't their best selves. So I don't know that you're getting the true answers of what that child can give in the first few days of school or few first few weeks. So if you give that test again towards the middle or sometime after the child has gotten adjusted to being away from home, would there be a difference or have you guys or do you have to pay again? No, the we do need to you're absolutely right. We do need to continually assess the students and we have appropriate assessments whether it be from the curricular
142assessments or the universal screening that will take place later in the year. the purpose of this um kindergarten entry um assessment, which most states do have a kindergarten entry um and from a teacher's viewpoint, it is very valuable information as the teacher sets up their classroom um as they plan on what they're doing, how they're going to group their kids, um how they can provide the best instruction for the whole child of their incoming kindergarteners. I think we all kindergarten is um not an easy grade to teach and it takes great skill. And part of that great skill and expertise is knowing your students. And this is a a a quick way for the teacher to know the students at the beginning of the year to um appropriately plan. >> But how long does it
143take for the teacher to get the assessment information back? >> The assessment information when they enter those scores in it's automatic. Oh, it's automatic. Okay, >> that's what I wanted to know. Thank you, >> Sure. >> Just Thank you. >> Uh, so when you folks do get these assessment backs, like what does that mean? Does that mean that they go sit at a certain table? Does that mean that the curriculum changes? Like how would that affect the classroom setting, the teachers involved? >> Yeah, that's a great question. So, to your first statement, no, I would hope that it wouldn't mean a different table because that would not be appropriate. Um the ideal situation that would occur is that the teachers are going to pay attention to those areas that a child is struggling with. If
144a child has a skill, awesome, we move on. We have kei that are coming in and we don't have any developmental needs we're observing and it's kindergarten continuous in a typical fashion, but we do have some that come in that might need extra, for example, small groupoup support or they might need additional attention from an educational assistant, a pair of professional. And this does help teachers to determine really specific skills that they might need alongside of course what you're all saying. Excuse me. >> If you could continue your comment. I need to vote. I will be right back though. >> That was actually the end of my comment. My apologies. >> So you said that there's assessments going on constantly throughout throughout a child's performance in school, right? >> Yes. >> So this kindergarten one
145assessment in the beginning. So there's other assessments that the teacher will make within that first year. >> Oh, absolutely. Yes. >> And so how many assessment programs do you have? >> Well, the the teacher is always assessing the learning there for the day. >> So you can they can assess after the initial assessment. They're not good enough to to for you to get any kind of data from them to do the first assessment, but it's okay after the first assessment that these teachers can then give you that data. I would contest that they absolutely are good enough. It would require um a reimagining and reshaping of our entire data system and they would still have to work within certain parameters for what type of data that they would have to provide us and it would
146require retraining and restructuring around what they would be sending us. >> Right. Ultimately that would take time. >> Yeah. But that's something that you you should have had to begin with instead of relying on an outside type of assessment. um from the mainland. I think that was some of the push back from a lot of the teachers and also especially the Hawaiian immersion. That's why you had to go through this whole system of getting them their own so that they could assess. But at the end of the day, the teachers in the classroom is doing the assessment. At the end of the day, this first assessment in three months is no good already. Only the only value is to have some data >> to look at to see what that class did. But as far
147as that particular child, because there's going to be other problems that that child may develop that didn't show up in the assessment or there going to be problems that did show up that has been corrected along the line. And so the whole thing changes, but again, you know, you're starting out with a with an assessment that that the teachers are in the best situation um to make that and you can tailor the questions if you think it was so valuable from John Hopkins um into the assessments and that should go on throughout the child's life, first grade, second grade, third grade. Otherwise, what you're going to have an assessment at first grade to what they learned in kindergarten, how ready they are for the next grade. Do you have that? >> We do screen them
148in first grade. Yeah, >> you do assess them in second >> with John Hopkins. >> No, no, with a screener. >> With the teacher, right? Or >> the formal screener. >> So, why don't you do that consistently? >> The formal screener that's not appropriate for income. is appropriate for other grade levels but it's not appropriate for income but you can make it appropriate to answer that I don't know what the answer is okay no other questions thank you Okay. Senate Bill 3262 requires the teacher standard boards submit three nominees for its executive director to the board of education. Requires the board of education to appoint an executive director from the nominees of the list subject to advice and consent from the Senate. And we have Hawaii State Board of Education. >> Uh members of the
149committee, if this should become law, the board of education will implement it. >> Okay. You don't see any problems with it, right? >> Okay. Let's not. Okay. Mitsy Higa testifying for teacher standards board. Not here. Okay. Osatoule for Hawaii's Teachers Association, HTA, HSTA. >> Aloha, chair, vice chair, Sarah Milan laughing on behalf of Osatouille and HSTA. So the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board is an organization representing the interests of educators all across the islands. Therefore, HSTA believes that a robust oversight um in the executive director selection process is essential for the future of our profession. So we know that HTSB plays a critical role in our educational ecosystem. That's why we're kind of all here and it directly impacts all teachers statewide as well as new educators uh entering or trying to enter the field. Um
150so the board's decisions on licensing and standard set the foundation for quality of instructions in our classroom. Uh this measure ensures the executive director is thoroughly reviewed by the Hawaii State Senate through the advising consent process and we believe this additional layer of scrutiny is vital to ensure that the individual leading this influential body is properly suited to responsibility of the job. And we appreciate your support. >> Thank you. Okay. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? If not, um I don't know. Any questions? Any questions? As to why HTS >> um well, they did send in a written testimony and one of the things that I highlighted which I was going to ask them is that says this bill would change the process that is already in place with the board of education.
151Well, literally it does not change the process. They only adds on a level that instead of the board of education making the final determination, well, they would make the final determination, but then it comes to the senate for confirmation. So, that does not change. But they're not here to testify. So, okay, we will move on. Uh, Senate Bill requires the school facilities authority to establish geographically based capital improvement project districts for the localized management of deferred maintenance. Transfers all deferred maintenance functions and funds and vacant facilities development branch positions from the Department of Education to the school facilities authority as intended and contemplated in act 72. uh statues of 2020. First person to testify is an Horuchi from the AG's office. >> Welcome. You are >> I am Randall Watt. >> Randy. >> Yeah. Good
152afternoon. >> Thank you. >> Mr. Kani, members of the committee, Randall Watt, deputy attorney general for the department. Um, as outlined further in our written testimony, um, the department has comments on this bill. We note that, uh, section 3C of the bill, um, states that all appropriations, items or appropriation and unexpended balances of funds, including any federal funds designated for deferred maintenance or facilities development within the DOE, are transferred to this SFA. We note that this inclusion of or facilities development appears to u not extend beyond the state purpose of the bill on page two. So if this the intent of the the legislature to include um facilities development to either change purpose or if it is not to to delete or remove or facilities development within that section. Additionally, the department uh notes that
153the term deferred maintenance is not defined in HRS chapter 302A and we recommend a definition um perhaps following that in HRS section 37-68. Thank you very much and I'm available for questions. >> Thank you, Rand. >> Okay. Um Kayashi Aloha, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Jesse Suki, deputy superintendent of operations. Um, we rise in opposition to this bill. Um, the Hawaii Department of Education um is opposing transferring deferred maintenance oversight to SFA. It would needlessly duplicate existing district level structures, fragment the critical integration of maintenance and CIP projects, and violate the collaborative framework previously established under act 72. And we just note that um the introduction to the bill said um transferring uh money and staff to SFA as contemplated in Act 72. when in fact act 72 expressly states under section 8
154that it shall not be construed to transfer the department of education office of facilities and operations including the facilities maintenance branch auxiliary services branch and any other general fund and position appropriations to SFA with that we'll rest and be available for comment >> thank you uh Ricky Fujitani for SFA Thank you chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Ricky Fujitani with the school facilities authority. We offer comment on this bill. Our comments are that it the localization I think the best example is what I call the Costco effect. Um when I was on the Maui Kahaloy Costco, I saw the guy doing permitting for the county of Maui. I also met the person in charge of the water and I met my cousins that work for the fire department. The importance of localization is you
155have access to all these key people that decide how schools are fixed. So localization is very important. It comes down to people and it comes down to where you can see where all the problems are. More importantly, it also allows for accountability. You have someone accountable for all the decisions and can make the right decisions on equipment specifications and materials. So that's the comment. Localization is important. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh Joy Bulisonan comments. Malia Suchia in support. John May Perry in support. Kamaka Kaimuloa for UPW with comments. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? If not, members questions. Okay, I guess I have some questions. Um, let's see. Ricky, why don't I start with you? So, this measure is asking for literally the entire facilities portion of DOE to transfer that
156as >> as that bill is written. Now, the the group uh when I was at the Department of Education that dealt with deferred maintenance was the BIPS group and it's a very small group. It's really a group of about eight positions. Those were the ones entrusted with the deferred maintenance section. So that's the group that's really needed if you were just to focus on deferred maintenance. The vast majority of facilities development branch does a lot of other things. CIP line items, land issues, you know. >> But isn't the CIP portion more in line with SFA? >> Um >> than the deferred maintenance. It could be, but it's it's it's which groups that are best managed by an by the SFA versus that's should be managed by by the Department of Education. The vast majority, if
157you just look at the money overall, the Department of Education gets about $464 million a year in CIP. The percentage of that for deferred maintenance historically has been about $85 million a year. So the vast majority of the work is CIP line items $364 million and that's the bulk of the effort right >> 464 million is deferred maintenance >> no is is the is the 15-year average of CIP given to the department of education >> and the deferred maintenance >> has been averaging about 85 million of that so that's the percentage again the biggest bulk is CIP line items yeah >> and isn't that more the area that I think the legislature had in mind for SFA versus the deferred maintenance which each campus will be more knowledgeable as to what are some of the
158deferred maintenance that's going on >> the the bigger the more challenging task is CIP just because of the sheer sheer sheer size right so that would be a heavier lift for the SFA uh deferred maintenance because of the vast majority of deferred maintenance is break fix or replacement where you can do most of these work quickly, fast um with uh with pre-qualified contractors would be a much easier task for the SFA to take on. >> Well, shouldn't that be the much easier task for the DOE to to do and not have to do all the CIP stuff, which is the harder lift? Yes, the harder lift is the CIP library, >> which is where the expertise would come in, which would be the more neutral type body looking at where these where these new schools
159should go and where these buildings should >> Yeah, new schools is a whole different thing because that's uh that's a long-term uh uh uh issue whereas what's a constant flow of the work again is deferred maintenance and NCIP lineups. I mean, >> I'm trying to get my my hands around which bucket is more appropriate for SFA and why FSA FSA was was created to handle which bucket. Now, for new schools, who handles new schools? Now, >> both of us. So as of right now there are 17 schools in various stages of identification, design or construction. Out of those 17, the school facilities authority only has one, Central Maui Middle School. The other 16 are with the Department of Education. >> Okay. And of that 16, how many did they go to? Oh, these are these
160are in so one's in construction um which is um Kulani Hakoy and then the other 15 are in various stages of design. Eight of them are military, nine of them are state schools >> and should in your opinion should that be taken over by SFA? In my opinion, Hawaii has changed and the way we build schools has to change. We cannot take this long. It cannot be this expensive. And so the paradigm has to shift. And that's what we're trying to do for Central Maui. >> So where where are we talking about Maui? Where are we on that Kihei school? >> Um that school is assigned to the Department of Education at this moment. Um, based on my best recollection, we're about 2/3 done. Probably about 230 million spent. I think the estimates for the
161great separated crossing phase 4 are another 220 to 230 million needed to complete. >> 230 million to complete already. 230 million spent. >> You're probably 230 million in and these are probably estimates about three years old already. And and this is a DOE project, correct? >> Yes. >> And the overpass, the pedestrian overpass that hasn't even started or has it started. >> There were designs being looked at. Um I don't know what stage in the >> design. I ask you this because at the last hearing, Jesse didn't know about the school, didn't have a background on it, didn't answer questions, which I find. >> So, the great subority crossing is a land use commission entitlement. It's a got to do, right? >> It's not optional. It has to be done. That's the rule of law.
162And so, that has to be done. Um, it's there are options to it. There are planning options to it. It doesn't have to be an overpass. It can be an underpass, right? It it's it's a grade separated crossing. So, um, >> but it was supposed to be completed December of 2025. >> I'm gonna ask you all these questions, but >> Yeah. No, I mean, that's a land use commission. It It's a requirement, >> Right. >> Okay. >> Land use I'm I'm not a >> I've been a litigator. I haven't been a land use attorney. trying to get my hands around >> right >> what projects or what areas that would be best suited because >> as I've said this before I'll say it again for the public who don't know that DAGs used to handle
163all of this and everybody complained DOE complained about DAG so we took it away from DAGs only the neighbor islands have DAGs doing their their facilities projects and DOE took it all on and DOE could not do it which is why you were created not you but SFA was created to handle this and yet we peacemeal it to the point where not I don't know that anything has really happened and so you know the thought is well maybe we should get rid of SFA but if SFA haven't been given an opportunity to really do something then I'm not sure where we're at because it can't go back to DOE but it's still with DOE which is again troubling so I'm not sure what the answer is at this point but members questions questions Okay, thank
164you DOE. >> Hello chair, vice chair Keith Yashi and Jesse Suki, members of the committee, um, Department of Education. >> Thank you. So, in your testimony, you are obviously opposed to any of this going over to SFA. Is that correct? >> Yes. And on what grounds do you what grounds do you take that position? >> Well, it it's a solution trying to find a problem that doesn't exist. So, it says that >> the problem doesn't exist. >> Well, it in the bill it says it's creating these geographic areas which already exist. DAGs does the work on the neighbor islands. We have district project coordinators in all of these geographic areas. We have DAGs has lead um persons who work on these projects in these different counties. So they know the permitting process that they're on
165the ground. They're managed and coordinated with by the office here uh at OFO. Uh so I'm not sure what why why this is being proposed. If you pull the positions out of OFO now um and the money um you're going to create a situation where there isn't a sort of unified approach to deferred maintenance and CIP which kind of work hand in hand. Um we do appreciate having more money to hire positions um so we can have more people in place to help move projects. Um, but I don't I don't think this is a solution to help make things more efficient. >> Okay. But then I think you're missing the point here. Why are we here? If everything was going fine and you were doing folks' job and things were getting built and repaired, we
166wouldn't have this problem. So, because it's not, we have to people have to come up with these ideas to try and see what we can get done. And if it requires possibly, you know, looking at some some ideas that might not be the best thing, but it's because of your folks's non-action or action. I mean, look at the K school. >> Well, that's not a deferred maintenance project. >> No, but it's a CIP. That's why I'm well I'm trying to get a handle of whether or not deferred maintenance should stay with DOE and and CIP should go to SFA or switch it around and one or the other because I don't know that at this point having both may solve the problem because you folks cannot handle all of it. You cannot you have not
167done that. >> Well, projects are actually moving in the pipeline. We just finished phase one of the school. >> At what pace? Well, Moapu, you want to talk about Moapu? Do you want to talk about all the reported problems on the campus and the headaches that's going on and the health issues? Let's not go there, okay? Because this is another issue that that's not on this, but there's so many problems that's going on and it seems like you're not acknowledging it. You folks are just saying everything's fine and well. >> No, no, not saying that it's fine and well. Projects take time. There's, you know, there's over 4,000 facilities into the DOE. You know, there's a backlog that we recognize for deferred maintenance. We have a six-year plan where we asked for 200 million a
168year for over the u four years and 150 million in the last two to get our arms around repair and maintenance. Um you know we asked for preventative maintenance uh money that was um taken out of the budget. Um you know we've asked we've asked for support to get these projects done and it it's it's a big list. It's difficult to manage but we're working through it. Uh more money is is what what we needed. Jesse, you've been on the job how long? >> Since uh September. >> Okay. Since September. And for two or three years, I've been asking for the CIP list. Guys cannot even come up with an updated CIP list. So, it's very difficult for us to see what improvements have been made. It's difficult for us to see where we're at
169because we don't have this information. And so, yes, you know, everything you say sounds good, but in reality, it's not happening. It's not happening. >> Senator, if I if I may, um, I mean to interrupt. Um you know I think when you had you had um rightfully so you had mentioned uh back during act 51 um when DAGs was responsible for DOE facilities um and with through act 51 I believe um the facilities portions of DAGs came over to us. Um but as you shared the the neighbor islands still we work together with the eggs to address the needs on the neighbor islands. Uh CIP RN repair and maintenance um and um auxiliary services came over to the department of education. Um during that period in the transition if I remember correctly um the at
170that time the department we were churning out the work and it was um very successful in being able to um expend the funds in a timely manner and to get uh the facilities both on um uh deferred maintenance in the R&M as well as a CIP done between that time and um when coming back from COVID there there were changes in processes in with changes in leadership and changes in processes within um facilities and um the BIPS were mentioned and the BIPS were um working with different districts districts on Aahu and I believe on the neighbor island to help identify um deferred maintenance areas of need. But in that process of change uh the BIP's positions at that time were eliminated. Uh there were changes to how projects were uh determined and were identified and
171prioritized within the department. Uh when um postco uh we are looking at trying to get back to how we were doing work when we were successful. And so we really do appreciate the support from the legislature because part of that process is to um identify the lump sum areas of need. The one of the biggest for us is deferred maintenance um as well as capacity and new schools and such. Deferred maintenance. Uh the legislature has been very um supportive in helping us to identify and and and fund those buckets. moving away from and helping the department identify and prioritize those those areas of need for schools and um moving away from uh the line items. And so that process is taking time for us to get back to how we were doing business and how
172we were successful. And we appreciate and the legislaturator's um understanding in that we we do need to get things going faster, but we are trying the best that we can. So you when was the successful period again? >> Um I believe it was um if if I remember correctly and and I'm only going off of memory and for me um I was a um a VP and a principal at that time. Uh that was when um I believe Randy Mo was assistant superintendent back with uh when when Pat Hamamoto was uh >> and what was this? >> That was very that was very early. Yes. >> Early what? >> Uh I believe uh 2004 maybe. I think it was act 51 if I'm not mistaken. Okay. But they had different leadership and that's a key.
173The leadership was very different. Pat Hamamoto's leadership was very different. And yes, >> when did when did SFA get instituted? >> The act was passed in 2020. >> 2020. Okay. 2020. Okay. So you're saying that >> we are trying to get back to >> So when So when did when did the legislature move take it away from DAGs and give it to DOE? I believe was it was during act 51. >> Okay. Dur what was the date of that? >> Um I I don't know the exact date but I believe it's around uh 2004 with act 51 if I'm not mistaken. >> Okay. So 2004 I believe. >> So you says everything were going well but then why did the legislature and I wasn't part of that. I mean I was at the legislature but
174I don't recall why SFA. I wasn't on education committees. Why SFA was created? My understanding is FSA was created because DOE was not doing a good job. DOE was not handling it >> and and during that in early early years um when it was successful um that I believe it was that's my personal opinion. I was an era superintendent with at that time superintendent Hamamoto and we were turnurning out the work but during that period and more recently um prior to co uh um things had changed within the department and I'm I I cannot speak to that cuz I wasn't I wasn't um here and I was at that time but so what we're trying to do now is to get back to a rhythm um that, but it's actually it's changing processes that have
175been put in place that were put in place. It's changing priorities. It's changing how we're requesting funds. And that's why we're appreciative to the legislature for allocating the um uh the lump sums to us because it allows the department now to really take a look take a look at prioritizing based on different kinds of needs for all of our schools throughout the state. >> But you're looking at a different time. So if you want to go back to what it was, it's not going to be the way it was because we're in a different situation. We have different leadership. And I think that's the key problem. We're having issues with getting information and getting things done. So you know, you folks were given the 12 schools or whatever. We built only two over the years.
176I mean, look how long look how long this Maui school has been there. That Maui school had we were it was advised that not get built there, but it did. But be as it may, I mean, we still don't have the overpass that was promised it was going to be completed in 2025. The building, the cost, everything. And that's all in this recent times. So, you cannot say that, you know, how long is it going to take? Another decade before you get back to speed. >> And and the great separated pedestrian overpass was something that we had worked with the um the Maui land use commission on. uh we are that um is an e extremely uh costly item but we are working uh to see what the next steps are in in addressing that
177>> but again the planning that went into this school did not anticipate these things did not anticipate you knew the rock was hard you knew that was going to cost more >> I I didn't know that senator respectfully because I I wasn't on the job yet but I know I accept the responsibility now from here moving forward I talked with the decision was made with the chair of the education DBOE at the time Don her and he he said that the rock is hard that it was going to cost a lot to do. So it was not as if it was a known it was known. So again whether you were here or not you're taking credit from Hamamoto and her time you have to take credit for respectively. I'm not taking credit for I'm
178just sharing that during that period. So the department was successful. >> Okay. So you are you are quoting that but again you have to also look at the the unsuccessfulness of the of the period as well >> and and and during that period when um uh appropriations were made to build Kulani Hakoy uh that was prior to when when I stepped into >> but you have it you've had it now for the >> Yes. and and we've built um in the Kulani school uh I believe there we have two classrooms built two classroom buildings the administration building um I believe we're >> yeah at the tune of $230,000 plus more or million I'm sorry not thousand millions dollars and going to cost even more and you don't have an overpass so they don't want the
179the kids got to get dropped off the kids can't walk to the school I mean it's it's crazy >> well we are definitely working to address that issue Okay. I would hope that you folks will start to take off the rosecolored glasses and look at the situation and what help is needed instead of just saying that you guys can do it because obviously things have to change and there's need to be some help somewhere along the line instead of trying to do the same thing over and over again which is insanity. >> And and Senator just to be clear too for me um I I'm not really looking through rosecolored glasses. I definitely know that there are areas that we need to improve in. We're working on that. Um and we we appreciate the legislature
180support in in helping us to move in that direction. But we we're definitely committed both in CIP and in deferred maintenance um as we as we shift into this into this process uh to be able to address the needs of our schools that in our school facilities. >> But superintendent, I hope you're just not looking at this individual projects like silos. all of your decisions, all of the things that you folks have doing points to that things are not working. Okay? So, this is a big picture. It's not just the CIP. It's not just facilities. It's it's a lot of stuff. I'm not going to go into it because you know what they are because I have I have articulated this time and time again, whether it's with you personally one-on-one or whether in this
181committee. And so, it's it's troubling that this there's obviously problems and that's why you're here. We don't just intro these bills just don't happen overnight. These these bills come about because legislators hear from their constituents. They hear for their schools. They're here for the community. They hear all of this and there's concerns being raised and these concerns are being told to you folks. And when nothing happens, you see bills get introduced and that's what happens. So, it's sending you this message that you need to start to look at and see what is it that we're not doing? What is it we need to do better? >> Senator. So, so what is the threshold? Like how many more billions of dollars do we have to go and unspent CIP funds and obligated funds before you guys
182actually acknowledge that you just cannot do the job? Billions now billions of dollars. And we're sitting here today and you are still trying to convince us that you guys can do the job. So, so, so what what is an acceptable amount? When are you guys going to say, "You know what? We just can't do the job. Is it 5 billion? Is it 10 billion? What is it going to be? My classrooms are continuing to be heated. You guys plexiglass the classrooms because you put ACs. ACs are broken now. Kids are sweating. A buildings are leaking. Gym has structural damage. Kids are getting electrocuted at the water fountain. The band room has termite damage. I mean, when are you guys going to accept that you guys just cannot do the job? We're over here trying to
183pass a bill, trying to help you guys out, taking more off your plate. So, I don't know if it is that you don't want this bill to happen because you don't want your guys position to be at risk or in threat, but something is just not clicking here. And we cannot keep waiting for you guys to hopefully one day you guys can do the job when we're asking for basic reports. So, you should be thanking us for this bill, taking more off your plate so you guys can focus on whatever it is you guys feel that you need to focus on. But when billions of dollars are being unspent, that is absolutely unacceptable in any department whatsoever. And you guys are telling us that you need more time, that you're working on it, and you're
184trying your best. No more trying best anymore. Like, that doesn't work. Maybe millions of dollars. Yeah, maybe. Okay, you're trying your best. We'll give you a little bit more time. We're in the billions already. So, so now what >> Senator We do have definitely have needs in deferred maintenance for example as you're referring to um as Deputy Suki um has shared that with with the funding we're able to address those issues definitely and >> okay but you guys were only able to complete 22 CIP projects last year remember that was your guys numbers right so SFA was was developed now we're able to get new projects up infrastructure thank god that SFA stepped stepped in because we actually have preschool facilities now on the west side. I have no confidence in DOE that that would
185have happened if that was still under you. I can only imagine that on the outer islands now that DAGs have taken control over it that they've had more progress. But when are you guys going to accept the fact that you guys just cannot do the job? >> So SFA respectfully um works worked and is dealing with um classroom renovations. Yeah, they have one project going on with central Maui. Uh the um we do have very good working relationship relationships with tags. Um >> okay. Wait, are you trying to water down >> projects? I'm not >> because I'm just trying to get AC's in my classroom over here. You guys can even do that. >> I'm just sharing what it is. >> Um Senator, and you know, uh we do have a prioritized list. uh and
186if for the air conditioning and for the for the roads and the other uh projects that you mentioned um you know we definitely can get back to you. I I don't have the I don't have the information with me now. Um but we have been definitely working on that. You know there is a prioritized list and as I shared you know with the with the funding we we will get that done. Jess, you have anything else you want to add? I >> I would just echo that. Um we're talking about different different things CIP repair maintenance the the AC project um for deferred maintenance um which this bill talks about there is a six-year plan it identifies all the deferred maintenance projects and it is over six years and every year that's updated all the
187agencies who have that kind of repair maintenance to it. So, it's 200 million a year for the first four and then 150 and 150. And that's that's the six-year plan for wrapping our arms around repair and maintenance. And there's always going to be repair and maintenance issues cuz termites are always going to find the next stage to chew up. That's an issue we're working on. >> Okay. And I and I hear what you're saying, Jesse, but what I'm trying to say is this priority list that you're talking about can change at any moment. that list means nothing to me because at any moment can there be a new priority that bumps mine off the list. So that doesn't work for me. Like the fact that things are not getting done, I can only go based
188on what I am seeing. And at this point with billions of dollars of unspent taxpayer money, that's that's unacceptable. That is absolutely unacceptable. And so for you folks not to at least intend to work with us to help take off your plate, we are trying to help you. We are trying to make sure that our kids and our students and our teachers and our admin and our faculty, they get the best infrastructure, at least decent. We're we're just going for moderate right now. We're not even shooting for the stars. We're just basics right now. And at that point, that's a struggle. And so when we introduce a bill that can actually help cuz we're the ones talking to the parents. I'm sure you guys are too, but we're talking to the parents. So when we
189try to push legislation to help, if it's not your way, then it just it doesn't seem to work for you guys. So it it seems like you guys are not open to outside input. If at any in any way it affects your guys structure. So, so that's what I'm saying is your guys way is not working and that reflects in the irresponsible spending. Well, not nothing is really being spent right now, but projects are not being completed. And so when we don't get real answers out of you or when we don't get reports, you're le you're forcing us to respond in a very very aggressive way because we don't have time to wait for you guys to hopefully figure it out. You're talking about a successful plan that was 20 years ago. This is 20
190years ago. And today we're still we we're still harping on that. And and as as I said, Senator, it was successful back when there were changes that really changed the process and flow of facilities. We want to get back to that. And I understand it was 20 years ago and things may not be the same, but the processes and procedures that we're putting in is showing results. Okay. >> And and and we are getting deferred maintenance done in our schools based on the allocations that we have. We are moving things forward. >> And if I could, I'm sorry. We're getting calls that we have to end by a certain time and we have other other CIP as well as modernization which is next. So this can continue as we get into the next one because
191this is the only bill that is addressing this issue. Um so with that I'm going to move on to Senate Bill 2550 and 2550 is relating to school modernization requires a school facilities authority to establish a school modernization initiative through capital improvement projects planning database for school facilities statewide. appropriate funds. So here's another bill that people have come up with because they don't feel that you guys are probably doing what needs to be done. So we are in support HSTA and I see that you guys DOE hasn't sent in testimony on this but uh Ricky Fujitani. Thank you, chair. Yeah, we support this bill. The key is that the legislature needs data and information to make data informed decisions and that that does not exist. What this bill does is seeks to create a database,
192a methodology that gives you the the information to properly use and deploy valuable CIP money. industry standard terms such as asset inventory, facility condition index, enrollment to capacity ratio, all of that should be common knowledge to legislators so they can make these informed decisions. More importantly, project identification should follow industry standards like the uniformat code for classification so you can see where the money is is being spent. That's what has to be built. Until then, you're deploying an average of $400 million a year without valuable information to make strategic decisions on schools. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Joy Bolosan comments. Malia Suchia support. Johnny May Perry in support. Um DOE, you're not testifying on this measure. Okay. I don't see you on here, but please come up. Aloha chair, vice chair, Jesse Suki,
193deputy superintendent of operations, testifying on behalf of the Department of Education. Um, we have comments about this bill. Um, we did submit testimony, but maybe it didn't get over. >> Yeah, I didn't have to apologize. Um but um we believe that what is being proposed to duplicate existing work and create operational overlap with the department. Um school facilities represent a multi-billion dollar public asset and many of the buildings are decades old. Um we do have um data that we have in um certain um it uh including our asset inventory which is managed through maximal system. Um our facilities condition index which is high fit which um was from 2020 to 2030 and is scheduled for updates. We have enrollment data. Um we have project classifications which are managed through prioritization. Uh you know every district
194um every school has a pri priority list and they have a opportunity to look at that and coordinate on that with the department before we make our budget requests annually. So we do have uh systems that we use to determine priorities and spending. And in one of the reports we recently sent you know we have about was it 60011 million churning in projects that are you know working in contracts in different phases. So u right there. >> Yeah. >> Uh anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Okay. Hearing none. So you have a school modernization initiative through your capital improvement project plan. >> Um modernization. >> Yeah. Modernization plan because this is what this this is the name of the bill relating to school modernization. >> Yeah. >> Requires school facilities authority to establish
195a school modernization. You said you folks already have this. >> No, we don't have a modernization. >> Okay. What do you have? >> We have the processes in place that we use to make decisions about CIP and deferred maintenance. Yeah. But what about how do we modernize our schools? >> It really depends on what is meant by modernization and how you defined it. >> Well, how is the DOE defining it? >> Well, a lot of the discussions we've been having with SFA about, for example, Central Middle um school in Maui is there's there's modernization elements using different materials, different strategies, but at the end of the day, it's not about uh modernization, it's about building less. So, you know, you get less school to save money because the cost of construction and development, the permitting,
196it it doesn't go away just because you move it from one agency to another. You still face the same challenges. >> Yes. But if you're not going to have a modernization plan, how do we move forward on these schools? How do we move forward on the classrooms? Yes, maybe less, but how do we ma manage what we have and modernize it? >> Yeah. So one example um >> I want to know what your plan is on how we modernize our schools. >> Thanks Senator. Um when we look at the term modernization I think there's there's different aspects to it. Facility modernization um does does a facility have the adequate space for student learning? Um if we're looking at middle schools for example uh do they have space where students can collaborate? Um, is there room
197for um being able to be nimble in terms of the different kinds of CTE and such? >> So, what's your plan? Where's your plan? Do you have a plan? >> So, so we we do have our educational specs that um facilities has worked on. I think when we look at um uh you had alluded we had alluded to it earlier um Moapu Elementary when I go and I visit that site and I know we were working with the um the contractor to address the issue that you had brought up that you had shared that that's been done um especially on a new facility when we look at the modernization of the the site at Moapu as I walk through there's areas for there's large areas in the classroom for students to be able to work
198and to um um do things like pro project based learning and such. There's room outside of the classroom for for classes to get together. There's areas um like a uh >> right but that's one school. So where is the plan from DOE as how do we modernize our school not just in a new school but in our old school simple things like having desk and chairs that can move around with wheels so they can go into a circle or go into a U or look at each other you know certain kinds of modernization things. Where is your plan for that? >> The um >> because you're obviously not in support of this. So again being opposed to something is one thing but what are you what do you have to to replace it or what
199do you have to in lie of? So I believe the educational specs that um facilities has is what was also used to um help to work with the with the contractor and design um moapu the in reference to furniture in the classroom. Uh that right now is left to it's up to schools to determine if they do want to purchase u movable furnitureures or different kinds of desks that can be reoriented into into small group instruction group learning. um schools take the responsibility for that. >> Shouldn't DOE be having some kind of overall plan and propose to the schools because that's what you should be doing and then have vendors available for them to make it easy to say these are some of the materials and these are some of the tools there. Senator, so
200when we look at like middle level education for example, we are partnering with the association of middle level ed which all of our middle schools are a part of and going back to what is what are the important concepts when we work with middle level students uh like you had shared being able to collaborate right um perhaps u furniture that can be reoriented into the classroom those kinds of things. So all of our middle schools are on that. When we look at the high schools in addition to the core areas, um our our CTE programs across all of our high schools um are areas that we look on in connection with workforce development and how do we provide opportunities in the classroom so that we can connect to uh to workforce at the elementary level.
201Um we have the general learning outcomes which focus on um students being um uh self-directed uh using technology. Um there are different areas that um we work on with elementary students, you know, and how do we help promote um um how do we help promote uh a love for learning? um our uh CLSD uh or our CLSD grant for example is one area of best practices for um um uh the science of reading >> and and such. >> Let me ask those questions questions questions. >> Great. Thank you. >> Uh SFA real quick. So what prompted this? Well, why do you think this is important and and why is DOE should DOE be doing it or you be doing it? >> Well, someone has to do it. Uh this is a similar bill that was
202introduced last year. Normally, all these kinds of plans are part of a bond issue that requires this incredible discipline to justify $464 million a year in CIP spend. Otherwise, the property tax holders and bond issue won't approve it. You need a similar kind of discipline plan that justifies this kind of spend every year and that's what's absent. Without the data, without that information, you cannot make strategic decisions on school investments. >> So what what does this look like? What does this discipline plan look like? So because I just asked DOE for a plan and said they have this, they have that. What what does it look like? Like a good example is right you you built the new building at Ha ha ha hail elementary on the big island. You've actually moved the entire school
203to another school for several years while you're building that other school. What you should have done based on data saying one of these schools should be closed. You should invest in one, rebuild it and then move it all in one place. These are the kind of big strategic decisions. Similar decisions have to be made all over the state. In Kyua, you have three schools on one street. In Khalihi, you have four schools within a couple blocks from that's the kind of data you need to make strategic decisions on where to put valuable CIP money and that's not what's available right now. >> Okay. Thank you. Questions? Me? Any questions? >> Questions? Thank you. Okay, we are moving on. Keep track of everything here. Senate Bill 2814 establishes a preventive maintenance special fund under department of
204education to be used exclusively for preventive maintenance of public school facilities require annual report to the legislature appropriates funds. Uh we have Kitayashi. Aloha chair uh members of the committee uh Jesse Suki deputy superintendent of operations. Um we rise in support of this bill. Um essentially preventative maintenance funding will bridge the gap left by bond funding restrictions enabling us to cost effectively and proactively maintain um our facilities and we rest. Thank you. >> Just sit there because it's only one other person signed up. Um Johnny May Perry and support not hear anyone else wishing to testify on this measure. No one else. >> Okay. So question some countries on this measure. So, don't you don't we already give you a um preventive ma maintenance or CI not CIP but um the rim kind of >>
205proposals. >> So, pre preventative maintenance is different from um repair maintenance, deferred maintenance. Yeah. So, it's different. It's um things you fix before you know they end up on your deferred maintenance list. So, it's operating money. Um we requested um 75 million uh in the last budget cycle. Uh some of it was struck out um and uh >> 30 million was in this budget cycle moved from there to CIP. Were able to spend 11 million of that uh because the rest was restricted. So we never really got the full benefit of the appropriation. >> Okay. >> So deferred maintenance is happens when something goes wrong and you need to fix it. >> So preventative maintenance is like you know things on a schedule for fixing um >> deferred maintenance after it broke down. >> Yeah.
206Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. >> I guess in my mind it's the same thing. I mean, so I I'm I'm kind of like why why we have to have two buckets? Because you want to in order to have a deferred maintenance, you want to defer the maintenance because then if you do a preventive maintenance, you won't have that maintenance, right? I mean, >> well, we like to keep the the the building stice for the students and Yeah. So preventative maintenance prevents it from getting to a point where you know it's so bad that we have to set it up as a CIP, right? >> Okay. I'm just not sure how you folks will will divide it up and determine what bucket it comes from at that point. Okay. Questions? >> Question. >> Okay. Okay. So, what I'm
207reading in your testimony is that there is a ENF memo memo, right? >> Right. >> That prohibits the use of tax exempt general obligation funds for routine maintenance expenditures, >> which makes capital improvement project money unsuitable for this purpose. >> Mhm. >> Did you know that we don't float tax exempt geo bonds at this point? >> Yeah. But I mean, so if if it's not taxexempt, there's more flexibility. Right. Right. So, so I guess you know this aside, I think >> we've had the conversation of have you had discussions to figure out how you're going to fund things like deferred maintenance, preventative maintenance. You know, we I think you guys have been essentially saying that we don't have the cash, right? The governor restricted you, but my question has been why haven't you had discussions
208to see what can we use, you know, bond funding for, right? And so I think you guys said you you have not. >> So I took the liberty because they were in my office anyway of talking with the budget and finance director and they said it's possible right and so but nobody from the DOE has talked to them about using you know this kind of funds to to do deferred or you know maintenance or preventative maintenance. So, I just want you guys to know that you guys are not, you know, exhausting all of the options, right? And and I think this that's why I think we have these pieces of legislation, but, you know, I think if we're going to be serious about this kind of maintenance problem or preventative maintenance, I think you guys
209got to exhaust everything that you have at your in your in the toolbox. And I don't think you are. So, I think, you know, you guys should explore that because I think that's it's you just you cannot just stop doing this kind of maintenance. and and if there's another strategy we need to understand and you need to go work that out and need to figure out what can be bonded with, you know, in short-term bonds versus just saying no can, >> right? And so I think the these past couple of pieces of legislation, it's all targeted at facilities, >> right? And I think the hopefully the message is to the DOE and I I think we we've had these conversations. I had it with the superintendent. and I had to wait yourself that we're ultra
210focused on fixing facilities >> and I hope you understand what the mandate is coming out of this legislative session, right? We don't want to to do these pieces of legislation, but absent of the leadership in the planning, you know, I think this is what we're we're going to have to end up doing. We don't like to micromanage, but I think we need to see some incremental progress. And I I think I have to give you credit. I I've been talking with with some of the people on the ground, and they at least they're saying that they have been having more meetings on facilities. So I think that is a good development. So they understand at least how to report some of these projects and getting updates on projects. So at least that's a step in
211the right direction. But then I think the system really needs to be figured out on on where we're going to go. Looking at what is the quickest method, who is the best entity to do this, right? I think what bothered me is right in the the other bill essentially it was kind of saying that the it's not only organizational structure, it's it's the funding. But I get it. It's like if you but if you're not going to look at deeply about the organizational structure, right, the the funding is not going to help you because we've already given you the funding and obviously there's a lot of projects that we can't just get done. So hopefully you kind of take this the takeaway is we got to focus we got to focus on this kind of
212thing and I know you're you're supportive of this kind of legis this this particular piece of legislation, but I think it's it's I think this the chair has strategically placed all the facilities bills all in in order. Um but I but I hope you you understand where we're trying to go with all this. So thank you chair. >> I do and I agree. Thank you Senator. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you. >> We are moving on to 2605. This is requires department of education to make available all public school outdoor facilities grounds on Saturdays and Sundays for public and community use without the need for any license permit or deposit fees under certain conditions. Uh please AG. >> Good afternoon chair members and Horuchi from the AG's um office. Quick note um on the
213first page of our testimony there's a typo. The second line from the bottom um we quoted test um language from the bill. It's actually on page four lines one through two not page one. Um but as noted in our testimony, we suggested some in some areas that um one there be a clarification of terms. What is exactly meant to be um outdoor facilities and grounds? Also, is this meant to apply to um charter school outdoor facilities and grounds in addition to department schools? Um the term make available does that mean just physical accessibility or does it also impose on um the DOE any obligation to ensure safety or security of users? Um with regard to assumption of risk, we've suggested some language to amend HRS um 302A-1148.5 um to address the liability concerns. Thank you.
214Okay. Thank you. Nahilani Parsons on Zoom. >> Not on Zoom. Chair. >> Okay. Uh, Department of Education. >> Aloha. Chair, uh, vice chair, members of the committee, Jesse Suki, Deputy Superintendent of Operations. Um, we rise in opposition uh to this measure. Um, essentially unrestricted unrestricted weakened public access to school facilities would um compromise student safety, risk costly damage to specialized infrastructure like artificial turf, and effectively force the department to operate an unmonitored statewide parks program without necessary resources. Um, and I'll just end by saying, um, that operating these these these facilities are installed for public school kids. Um, it's not installed to handle the capacity of the general public. Um, so it's a really a very different type of programming um that the bill is asking for and here for comments. Thank you. >> Thank
215you. >> Department of Health, anybody? >> Uh, Ch apologies. Aloha chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Justin with department of health. We stand on our written uh testimony offering comments. Mahalo. >> Can you give us a summary of the comments please? >> Of course. Um the Department of Health uh we believe that as according to 2025 data shows one in five uh youth under 18 are physically active meeting CDC activity guidelines. Um most of the many students particularly in rural communities do not have um accessible parks either they're not um either they're too far away or there is no meaningful or quality infrastructure such as sidewalks um low stress bike facilities and furthermore often than not schools may present the open opportunity for open for open space for green open spaces. Um this bill
216has the opportunity to um provide greater access for park space so children and their families may be able to have greater opportunities for physical activity and happy to take any questions or comments. >> Thank you very much Justin. Uh Joy Bolan poses we have a number of opposes and support total five opposed 10 five support 10 opposed three comments. Anyone else wishing to justify this measure? If not, okay, I just have a quick question. Who polices the school grounds now on weekends and after hours? >> Excuse me, Senator. What was the question? >> Who polices the school grounds? Like if people public wants to go onto the school campuses to do anything, somebody polices it. >> So, currently the campuses are not open to the general public. If someone wants to use it, an entity,
217we have a facilities use process. >> No, I understand. If I wanted to take my dog and walk my dog on one of the school campuses because they're not all fixed yet, right? Yeah. Schools are security. >> You have security >> if not not always, but not always and not for all schools. Yeah. >> So, you can't keep people out >> if they walk across the campus and nobody's looking. Yeah. >> Like with any state property. >> Yeah. So if they wanted to hold a pick on the school, >> well somebody reported it to the school might show up but otherwise yeah it's like any state or county property. >> I'm just curious on that. >> I believe also Senator there are um no no trespassing signs on school campus. >> Yes. >> Okay. So
218if they call the police, police will remove them from the school. >> Okay. Members >> question do you see this as a potential uh revenue generating opportunity for the schools? Like as example, there might be football clinics um from out of state that would like to hold their clinics um maybe at the schools that have a better laidout football field. >> Well, now they can do it with the facilities use. >> Oh, >> yeah. Yeah. >> And the the thing about the facilities use is that it it ensures that the property is protected, that they clean up after they leave and that sort of insurance. >> Yeah. without any kind of >> permits or any kind of >> we should charge them more. >> Okay. Thanks. Senator, >> I I guess you know the the
219question is you know you have some schools that are consistently used right for community use through your official process and then there's others that are hardly used and I think there's a disparity there and I think I think to me it's because you kind of leave it up to the principal to control and some of the you know I think a lot of that some of the principles are you know are like oh no our school's busy when really it's not. Have you have you guys kind of looked at your policies on how you are fairly allowing the public to utilize your your your public facilities? Right? These are public facilities technically, but I think you're you're delegating a lot to the principles and it's it's kind of like a case by case basis. For
220example, one of my elementary schools, they won't rent you out their facility unless it's 30 days in advance and anything before that they're not going to rent you out, right? So I don't know I don't know what when have you looked into that and what what has been the result? >> We do have a process senator um for for schools to follow um regarding use of facilities. Um if you let me know which schools are experiencing some difficulty then we can help to follow up on that. >> Okay. But is there there there's a there's there's a specific statewide policy that everyone should be following. >> There is a use of facilities policy that um schools follow >> and everyone has to follow that. So is there no discretion of the principal? >> Um there
221is discretion on there's some discretion um in terms of availability of the facility and such. But we we'll follow up with you on that. >> Okay. No, I I think I think the bottom line is the public needs to know that if you if you're saying that there's a process, >> yes, >> they if you go follow the process and they can't then I think then then it's kind of broken, right? So I think we got to got to look into it a little bit more. So thank you chair. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? Um, moving along, we have community outreach. >> Senate bill 2261. This requires Julie AA to conduct a study on physician and dentist recruitment and retention to serve the island of Mokai. I guess you can guess whose bill
222this is. So, Elizabeth Ignashio in support. Johnny May Perry in support. Mike Nent in support. That's all I have that signed up. Anyone here wishing to testify on this measure? Anyone here from dental order health? Not nothing. Okay. No testifiers here. Uh moving on to 30, Senate Bill 3047 relating to financial literacy requires Department of Education to implement financial literacy instruction into existing courses, public high schools, and sufficient overlap with financial literacy program beginning in 2027 2028 school year. And to testify on that, we have Kayashi. Aloha, Chair Kim, and members of the committee. Terry Ushiima, assistant superintendent testifying on behalf of the Department of Education. Uh, the department stands on its written testimony offering comments on SB3047. The department has implemented a requirement for all students starting with incoming freshmen in the 2026 to
2232027 school year to successfully complete a financial literacy educational opportunity prior to graduation and is aligned with the financial literacy program standards which establishes a minimum knowledge, skills, decision-making abilities that students should acquire by the time of high school graduation. and embedding financial literacy into existing courses is an option. So, thank you for the opportunity to testify. >> Thank you. We have Cahani Duko. Are you here? Not. We have testimonies from Helen Sante in support. Is Helen here? Yes. Please come forward. Okay. In support. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Johnny May Perry comments and Ryan Mad in support. Ryan still here. >> You want to come up? >> Uh, I will stand on my >> stand on your testimony. Okay. >> What am I? >> 3116. >> Okay. Shall I just since we're on
224I called everyone for 3116. >> We'll take it out of order. >> Three for seven. At least >> Oh, wait. I did Keith on that. >> Okay, I'm going to stick with 3116 since I went down that list. Keith, you want to come back on that one and then we'll go back to >> getting lazy guys. >> Chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Keith Aayashi, superintendent um testifying in support of uh this bill. Um, it is a a department administrative package bill and it updates the scope of the department's adult education program to align with the federal adult education and f family literacy act title two of the workforce innovation and opportunities act. It does provide greater emphasis on workforce readiness and workforce development uh providing underskilled individuals with educational activities to develop the
225skills necessary to be gainfully employed. Um the uh also it aligns with the basic and secondary education programs within the department's K12 programs and provides family and community literacy that includes financial literacy and health and wellness instruction. Thus, the adult education programs enable adult learners to develop the foundational skills necessary for a productive home and work life. Thank you. Stand by. And for the record, this is Senate Bill 3116. Updates Hawaii statutory framework for adult and community education programs to ensure alignment with the federal funding requirements and best practices. Um, so I do have a question. Helen. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, you're on. Okay, go ahead. >> Uh stands on its um Aloha. you testimony. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Anyone else wishing to testify on 3116? Give me a treat.
226Okay. If not, Helen, if you can come forward. I have a question for certainly appreciate all the work our community um adults schools that go through and so thank you so much. Um right now how is it structured? Is it does it is it within the DOE? Is it >> Yes, we are part of the DOE. >> You're part of the DO, >> right? I'm a principal at within a school within the DOE. >> Okay. So, but structure it falls under what portion of the DO? >> I fall under complex area superintendent then I'll deal with >> from KMR. >> Okay. So, you get you get guidance and stuff from from that portion of the >> and also we fall under the workforce development branch with Wel Kaneshiro. Okay. >> So, we also work very
227uh closely with her. >> Is there any any things that we should be looking at helping the adult school and coordinating, consolidating anything? You guys are just they're doing folks work, but you know, is there anything we can do to help get more adults? >> Currently, we are in the process of um realigning the two schools. >> Okay. >> And that should occur come July 1 of this year. Okay. >> Yeah. And so what we're working on very diligently is workforce preparation for our students. And so we're working very closely with um the FP and with also Dana Wicker from DBED and the Department of Human Services >> and um providing the necessary training with our programs, our career foundations programs. um build your bank, build your skills, and um >> what kind of >>
228build your farm? >> What kind of response are you getting from the communities? Your classes pretty much fill up or >> um we've gotten very good responses and so we've launched it's just launched not too long ago because of the curriculum was just very recently designed and um it's not only the community at large, but also our high schools. Our most recent is Wua High School that adopted the build your farm um curriculum and so Wahoo High School also there are several on Maui and um we're also moving to um Mulikai. So we're looking forward to meeting with the principal from Mulai. >> The um complex area superintendent of Maui um asked if we could do a presentation on our career foundations uh program which we will be doing very shortly. >> Okay. I think
229he folks give a a service to the people without them having to have to go to on a college campus but you know to go to um community college but going just to adult schools I think is a huge huge benefit and service to the people. So >> and I think the cost is really um I think beneficial to the community. So, it's only $20. And if you're really having a hard time and you're hopeless, I mean, help homeless. Sorry. >> Hopeless. >> I actually took adult ed for golf, believe it or not. They offer that. Yeah, I know. They had that. >> But we we offer scholarships. We find because people donate to the school, right? So, we offer those students. >> You have to let our constituents know about that. >> How do
230they get go for a scholar? They just apply. You have on your online. We check financially, you know, if if their home is like >> Kakaako in the streets. So, we >> verify that and it's very easy to do >> and then we just offer the GED >> for free. >> Well, thank you very much. >> Yep. You're welcome. >> Just Oh, one question, >> Ellen. Quick question. >> Just just clarify. So, you you report to a CAS, >> correct? >> Of of where? >> Um KMR um Kami Kim Kim Roosevelt. >> Okay. And then who does the other principal for the community school for adults report to? >> He reports to his CAS I >> like Farington. >> What is Fington? See the thing is I work very closely with all of the Casses
231because I service many of the schools >> but I'm my supervisor is Lenel Dwell. So that so then there's no one overseeing then how the two community schools are interacting then because you're reporting to two different reporting lines then. So so in theory then there's supposed to be heidi. Well, actually, it's not going to be problematic anymore because we're going to be known as the Hawaii State Community School for adults come July one. >> But the reporting lines are what? At July one, >> we'll be to my complex areas. >> To who? >> To um Lynel, deal with >> just one. Yes. >> Both both will report to her. >> Um there will be one principal and that's >> Oh, you're going to be the only principal for the entire system. I see. I see.
232Okay, that makes more sense. Okay. Okay. >> Thank you, chair. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Now, we're going to go back to Senate Bill 3047. And this is the financial literacy measure that um DOE already um testified on. So, we have unless he wants to testify again. Um we can go to Hawaii State Board of Education. >> Uh you have the testimony in front of you, members, chair. Um the uh the one point that we'd like to point out is that there's a section in there that requires the board of education to do professional development. And the board does policy. It doesn't do professional development. You know, it doesn't train teachers or do leadership development programs, all the rest of it. Yeah. So that's better. I'll refer to the um Department of Education itself. >>
233Okay. Thank you. Sherry Meno or Manor the left after the R testifying for Chamber of Commerce. >> Thank you. Thanks for sticking around. Okay, >> absolutely. Um Nadia Holt here testifying on behalf of Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. Um aloha chair, members, thank you for hearing our bill. Um I have here our um vice president at the chamber and subject matter expert in education to emphasize further. So if I may yield. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you, chair, as well as our committee members. Um, so we sent out our testimony just adding a few more comments to the bill. Um, so we are in support of the bill. Um, we hear this as an ask from our employers as financial literacy being a fundamental skill and we think embedding it into the courses would be
234really helpful um to make sure that the strength of the bill as well as the financial literies courses are go according to plan. Um, the appropriate funds would help support the educator professional de development to meet the workforce needs that we see. Um but we do also recommend the amendment um that the DOE takes lead and not the board of education when it comes to the professional development um around the bill. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Stephanie Sakamoto. >> Tiffany Yajima in support. Kelly Kyle Kelly also in support. Johnny May Perry in support. Joy Baruga Barua in support. Any other members wishing to testify on this measure hearing? None. Okay. Members questions. Uh I have a question for DOE. So according to the testimony, you say that starting with the
235freshman in this class of 2030, why public schools must successfully complete a financial literacy education opportunity of prior to graduation. What is opportunity means versus must take classes or >> Yeah. So, um, what we're looking at is different opportunities for students and we're looking at some flexibility for schools and students. So, an opportunity might be a standalone elective course that some schools are already doing. Another option might be um looking into embedding it into existing courses because the courses have standards and we now have our uh financial literacy standards. that is really the baseline that goes throughout these different options. That's what they have to meet the standards. And um another option might be a self-paced course um that students can take through out the year or um possibly another option might be um a
236self-paced summer course. And we're open to other options as well. >> Okay. Um so I mean it's good that there's options but why I guess looking at efficiency and looking at what is in the best interest why is DOE putting all kinds of options which requires all kinds of recordkeeping and so forth instead of just embedding it into the curriculum and everybody has to take it. you know, having a standalone elective course, what does that cost or what, you know, what more work has to go in for an elective course and what if not enough students signed up for it. So, you guys just bring on more more issues. So, I think the intent for us that over the years that we've pushed for um financial literacy course that they didn't want it substituting for,
237you know, another course and as a graduation requirement, but that it it be embedded into the curriculum. So I I have issues with the self-paced learning options and other kinds of options that you folks are throwing out there. Students get confused as to what what they have to take. >> And I think um part of what what you mentioned some schools are able to provide a separate elective course is that when you offer a separate elective course then you need a teacher and you need enough students be able to um have that course available. um some schools may choose to embed um the program through their advisory over four years. >> But that's why I'm saying why wouldn't the DOE just make one standard? Why have given all these different options and these different choices
238that cost the department even more resources? >> Senator, if I may, um so the U office of curriculum instructional design did um we did approve standards. So that's think of it that's the floor for the department of financial literacy. Um some schools are already engaged in financial literacy uh curriculum whether it's embedded or they're offering also standalone courses. So the opportunities and the options that Terry has shared was that to honor what some schools have already done and they're implementing as long as they're meeting those standards. And so uh whether it some might be standalone, some might be during the summertime, again it goes back to all of our students by uh the time that this is implemented will have met those financial literacy standards that are n I believe they're nationally recognized and have
239been vetted by our um by our uh financial literacy partners. >> Uh yes, they're in line with the national jumpstart standards and um we just updated it with a stakeholder group um in May last year to update it. So it is fairly rigorous. it um addresses all the areas that are in the bill like earning income, spending, uh savings, investing and all those areas. >> But again, I'm trying to streamline these courses to streamline what the students have to take and so I don't know am I alone in this but >> yeah, >> thank you guys so much. Um, so financial literacy as an option, I think, um, and this was just shared with me from a constituent who works at Taco Bell in our community that when students come to get food and they're
240given the total, they just give a large bill >> and they're not necessarily, you know, quickly calculating, you know, the cost and so on and so forth. But I think that it's important to have the financial literacy as a part of the curriculum. Uh because what you may be feeling might be adding more work to you actually might come down to us needing to ensure we have statutory accountability and legislative oversight uh to ensure that this is this is not an option. This is a this is a basic life skill that when these kids graduate they can basically do quick math in their head. And so, um, I think that this piece of legislation is going to be important to have those discussions that this might be a real need for the community, for the
241kids that are graduating. >> And we agree. Um, and although we look at the secondary schools and high schools in particular to meet this requirement, uh, the financial literacy, it's embedded throughout our, um, our grades. Like for example in second grade that's when they start learning more about um money. Um they do you know they learn how to count um money and start um how do you give change and um we have others um like social studies they might have like a mini society type of units where different folks um or different students um come up with their own ideas to uh see how they could generate income. in the high school, it might be um a mock family situation. They have to pick a career and their income and their expenses. In fact, we're
242at Wip Pahu High School um where the Pro City Wahoo um um it was their PD day for the whole complex and we actually had some high school students giving a presentation and they're actually showing a game. um a board chair was there also and really and you have like unexpected things that happen so you have to from your pot oh I have to pay for 200 >> sorry just because I know we're short on time but but I think the element of um >> Senator I think at the end of the day for the department and the plan that we have in place now um when we look at the standards by by the time students graduate from high school they would have met that floor of those financial literacy standards that have been
243vetted by industry and and national standard. So the the process and the plan that we have in place now providing options to different schools at the end students will all meet that standard >> as an option though right everyone will meet those standards but different options how to get there >> how to get there so but this bill this bill actually calls for it to be embedded period >> yes and and that's why we provide comments that while we we agree that financial literacy is definitely important for all of our students the way we go about doing that >> understand yes thank you >> currently the legislature has for years pushed for this literacy in this form which has come to pass by one of the legislators and year after year to be embedded into
244the your curriculum. >> Yeah. And in your testimony you say and I quote, "We do not think this bill is necessary." >> Thank you. >> Okay. Yeah. And the reason for that, Senator, is because we do have the process in place. By the time the students graduate, they'll have mental standards. >> Sure. So, if this bill passes, then we still have by the time they graduate, they're going to have literacy, financial literacy, and those standards will be met um through it being embedded into the curriculum. >> Well, in different that's one of the options. Yes. But no, if this bill passes and then I I do believe that we would have to shift what we're doing, right? >> And all of whatever we do for financial literacy, we have to go through professional development for
245teachers, identify the classes or the courses that it's being embedded into and ensuring that those high schools have the teachers that are able to teach those courses to be able to offer that course that has the standards embedded for all of the students to meet it. >> Well, it's a course that's embedded. So, it's not necessarily a special course, but my understanding is and like you said, you're already embedded at the elementary level and middle school level, whatever, but it's going to be embedded in the high school and they're going to meet all those requirements at the end. >> Right. Right. And we need to determine though what course they would be embedded into. >> Excuse me. not really. >> So, so because you folks are already implementing this, if we codify it into law,
246it shouldn't be that much of a difference because you guys are already have a streamlined process, right? >> It would change though that um all schools there, >> right, would need to meet that's that's what we want versus providing schools the opport the options to offer to get to an end point where all students will be meeting those standards. >> Okay. Well, I want to pivot to Senator Hashimoto. He's been waiting patiently. >> Okay. Other questions? Thank you. >> I think we are on our last we're our last last item. Senate Bill 3118 relating to interstate compact on education opportunities for military children. We have okay Keith Hayashi chair members of the committee. Keith Aayashi, superintendent. Um the department stands on its written testimony in support of this measure. Uh um the interstate compact is
247a historic agreement designed to remove barriers to educational success for military connected students. Its effectiveness relies on uniformity across all jurisdictions. It's important to note that this compact has been formally adopted by all 50 states in the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity or DOD. Uh this is primarily a housekeeping measure and it is a uh administrative package. Okay. Bill. >> Thank you. >> Laur Lori Moore >> in support and Kelly May Douglas in support. Anyone else here wishing to testify? Come forward, please. You have one minute. Angela Melody Young Cares um in strong support and um of course of our active duty soldiers and to honor our veterans who have defended our freedoms. Um so I actually traveled with the film making documentary crew to Italy um for the tour
248of the uh NIS second generation American soldiers and then um so there was that legislation about implementing in the DOE curriculum about learning about the 100th infantry and the 442 um that our senator Senator Daniel Kinoi served in. So it is very important to honor um military children and you know what happens when um students are not financially responsible or they don't learn financial literacy is that they get drafted into the war. >> Thank you. >> So that's what happens. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Hearing none. Members, any questions? No questions. Okay. We're going to go into decision making. Calling to order the committee on education. On our 102 agenda, we are in decision making and on Senate Bill 3286. This is uh requiring the
249university to develop a facility student housing master plan. Uh the recommendation is to amend to an SD1 technical and non-substantive amendments also to defect the date to July 31, 2050. Any discussion? If not, chair votes I >> members SP 3286. The chair's recommendations pass with amendment. Uh chair votes I. Vice chair is excused. Senator Fukunaga is excused. I vote I. Senator Dort >> I. >> Chair recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. uh 20 Senate bill 2802. This is the uh establishing a bachelor's degree program education at the Liberty Community College. Um the committee has taken this um testimony. Uh we're going to pass it on to Ways and Means to see whether or not in fact um this meets the requirements that we're looking to get. And so we're going to defect the date to July
2501, 20150. Um yeah, and that's the only amendments for that measure. Uh any discussion? Hearing none. Chair votes I. >> Members SP 2802 chair recommendations pass with amendments. Any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no. With all others voting I with the noted excus of Senator Kedania Fukunaga for this measure and all others. Your recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. Senate bill 3050. This is the maritime youth apprentice pathway. Recommendation is to SD1 for technical non-substantive amendments and to defect the date to July 1, 20150. Any discussion? Hearing none. Chair votes sign >> members SB 350 chair's recommendations pass with amendments any reservations any nos all others voting I recommendations adopted >> okay and Senate bill 3238 this is the language access bill recommendation is to we note that this would be for credit or
251and or nonredit uh courses also technical um and non-substantive amendments for consistency and blanking out the appropriation any discussion >> hearing none chair vai >> members SB 3238 chairs recommendations Pass with amendment. Share votes. Any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no? Without others voting I. Recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. For Senate Bill 3062 relating to liquor. Recommendation is to do an ST1. Take in the recommendations from the from DOE. I believe it was. Make sure I got it right. that we not allow this um libraries that are not located on education properties or near public schools as provided applicable rules and laws for sole purpose. So any any libraries that is not on the own property um and that and located within 500 ft of elementary, intermediate or high school. So those amendments.
252Did I miss anything? Um I think also the um the uh amendment by the University of Hawaii amendment that requires um training. Anyone that is going to be standardized server training also be put into this. And the third recommendation by the by uh about the liquor limited license exemptions and the culinary and also the culinary one. Okay, with that members any any discussion hearing? None. Chair votes eye. >> Members SP 3062 chair recommendations pass with amendments. Chair votes eye and members voting with reservations. Any members voting no without others voting I. Recommendations adopted. >> Thank you for Senate Bill 3024 recommendation is to uh pass with an amendments affecting the date doing technical non-substantive amendments and also including in this bill a comprehensive legal review by the attorney general. Any discussion? See none. Chair votes
253I. >> Members SB 3024 chair's recommendations to pass with amendments. Chair votes I. Any members voting with reservations. Any members voting no. Without others voting I. Recommendation. >> No. No. No vote for S. Senator Dort. Chair recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. Senate bill 896 SD1. This is where the UN DOE will submit annual reports for the CIP. Recommendation is to pass uh with amendments taking in the AG's suggested amendment testimony in part five. Any discussion? Hearing none. Chair votes I chair. Recommendation for um SP 896 is to pass with amendments. Chair votes I. Any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no without others voting I. Recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Senate bill 895 SD1 establishes new requirements for teacher le kindergarten assessments. Recommendation is to pass as is. Any discussion? None. Chair votes I. >>
254SP 895. Chair recommendations passed un amended. Chair votes I. Any members with voting with reservations? Any members voting? No. Without others voting I. Recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. Senate bill 3262. Uh this is the teacher standards board. Recommendation is to pass as is. Okay. SP 3262. Chair's recommendations pass un amended. Chair votes I and members voting with reservations and members voting no without others voting I recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. Senate bill 2548 relating to school facilities. Uh the recommendation is to delete the portion of deferred maintenance leaving that still with department of education um making technical and non-s substantive amendments and defecting the date to July 1, 2015. Any discussion? Hearing none. Chair vai. >> Members SB 2548 SH recommendation to pass with amendments. Chair votes I. Any members voting with reservations? Any members
255voting no. Without others voting I. Recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Senate bill 2550 relating to school modernization. Recommended is to amend to an SD1 adding technical non-substantive amendments and also to add in that this will be done every 5 years instead of three. Any discussion? Hearing none. Chair vzai. Members SB 2550 charter recommendations pass with amendments. Chair votes I. Any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no without others voting I. Recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Members Senate Bill 2814 relating to preventive maintenance funding. Recommendation is to defer this measure. Any discussion? Hearing none deferred. Senate bill 2605 relating to school facilities. Uh making the schools available um on weekends and Sundays and Saturdays. Uh recommendation is to defer this measure as well. Discussion hearing none. It's deferred. Senate bill 2261 relating to health uh physician and
256dentist recruitment on mai recommendation is to blank out the appropriation amount on page two. Um do we need a SD1 to blank out? >> Yes. Okay. Thank you. Um chair votes I >> members SB2261 chair's recommendations pass with amendments chair votes I any members voting with reservations any members voting no without others voting I recommendations adopted >> okay Senate bill 3047 uh this is the financial literacy recommend recommend to blank out the appropriation on page three and yeah that's it so blanking out the appropriation on page three so SD1 >> All right chair recommendation is to Pass SP 3047 with amendments. Chair votes I. Any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no. With all others voting I. Recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Senate bill 3116. This is the uh framework for community education programs. Recommendation
257is in SD1 technical and non-substantive amendments. Discussion hearing. Hearing none. Chair votes I. >> Members SB 3116. Chair's recommendations pass with amendments. Chair votes eye. Any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no. Without others voting I. Recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. And finally, Senate Bill 118. This is the Interstate Compact for Military Children. Recommendation is to do an SD1 for technical and non-substantive amendments. Any discussion? Hearing none. Chair votes I. >> Members, SB 3118 chair recommendations passed with amendments. Chair votes I. Any members voting with reservations? Any members voting? No. Without others voting I recommendations adopted. >> Thank you. And with that, we are adjourned.