Bill Text: HI SCR43 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Kupuna Caucus; School Facilities; Senior and Community Services

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-30 - (S) Report adopted, as amended (SD 1) and referred to EDU. [SCR43 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SCR43-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3104

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 43

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 43 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ALLOW PUBLIC SCHOOL CAMPUSES THAT HAVE SMALLER STUDENT ENROLLMENTS TO BE USED FOR AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTERS, SENIOR CENTERS, AND OTHER KUPUNA-RELATED PROGRAMS TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS AND AVOID THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to avoid the closure of schools and meet community needs by encouraging the Board of Education and Department of Education to allow public school campuses that have smaller student enrollments to be used for aging and disability resource centers, senior centers, and other kupuna-related programs.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging of the Department of Health.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

 

     Your Committee finds that with the aging of the baby boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964), Hawaii will experience a change in its demographics and the needs of its people.  Allowing portions of public school facilities to be used for community service programs, such as kupuna-related programs, will assist in alleviating some of the projected demand for kupuna-related services, while preventing public school facilities from being underutilized or even closed.

 

     Your Committee also finds that according to the Department of Education's testimony, fees for facilities that nonprofit service providers and government agencies pay to the Department reimburse the Department for only the out-of-pocket expenses that the Department would not have otherwise incurred if there had been no outside use of the facilities.  Therefore, bringing nonprofit service providers or other government agencies onto an under-enrolled campus does not bring additional revenues to the Department and would not offset the high cost of small schools.

 

     Your Committee has therefore amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language that describes low student enrollment and elderly-specific needs;

 

     (2)  Adding language that describes section 302A-1151.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which requires the Department of Education to give reasonable consideration to making public school facilities available to charter schools when the Department considers closing any particular public school;

 

     (3)  Amending language to describe possible uses of public school facilities being considered for closure and vacant public school facilities;

 

     (4)  Amending the purpose of this measure to encourage the Board of Education and Department of Education to consider utilizing public school facilities facing closure and reutilizing vacant public school facilities to support the broader needs of the community, including but not limited to kupuna-related programs and services, thereby avoiding underutilization and possible closure of public school facilities;

 

     (5)  Amending the title accordingly;

 

     (6)  Requesting the Board of Education and Department of Education to consult with the neighborhood boards and other community organizations, rather than the Executive Office on Aging, to identify opportunities to use public school facilities for services or programs that benefit the community; and

 

     (7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 43, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Education, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 43, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

		____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair