HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2508
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that facilities funding has been a long-standing issue for charter schools nationally and locally.  In Hawaii, start-up charter schools have paid the costs of their facilities from operational funds.  However, Act 159, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, authorized the state public charter school commission to request facilities funding as part of its annual budget request to the director of finance beginning with the 2014-2015 fiscal year.  Act 234, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, authorized a framework for providing facilities funding and support for public charter school facilities with adequate prioritization, oversight, and accountability by the charter school facilities funding working group to be convened by the state public charter school commission.

     The legislature further finds that public charter schools receive inadequate funding to support student learning.  While the state public charter school commission may request facilities funding as part of its annual budget request, the amounts received in recent fiscal years have not kept pace with the cost of providing and maintaining high-quality facilities.  Public charter schools that lack adequate building facilities are sometimes forced to hold classes outdoors, on covered lanais, or in unstable temporary structures.

     The purpose of this Act is to provide funding to the state public charter school commission for infrastructure costs, the rental or lease of charter school facilities, and for the repair and maintenance of network infrastructure.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the state public charter school commission to allocate to charter schools for infrastructure costs, lease or rent assistance based, in part, on the need and financial performance of the charter schools, and repair and maintenance of network infrastructure, as determined by the state public charter school commission.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the state public charter school commission for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2018.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Charter Schools; Facilities Funding; Infrastructure

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for infrastructure costs, the rental or lease of charter school facilities, and the repair and maintenance of network infrastructure of charter schools.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.