Education Issues Are Costly, But Solutions Diverse
Sen. Norman Sakamoto receives a lei from a child at Kaua`i Independent Day Services Center.
Battling a repair and maintenance cost backlog list of $257 million for the University of Hawai`i system and a Department of Education repair and maintenance cost backlog list of $420 million, the Senate Education Committee will process legislation and hear testimony concerning a number of unique initiatives this session.
According to a statement on the Web site of Sen. Norman Sakamoto, the Education Committee chair, “The people of Hawai`i have always valued education. In polls taken in the past few years, 70 percent of the people have expressed a willingness to pay more taxes to fund education.”
Sen. Sakamoto has identified some of the cost solutions and education improvement initiatives that are his priority this session.
• Senate Bill 2820 Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to fund department of education and the University of Hawaii repair and maintenance projects.
• Senate Bill 3252 Addresses the teacher shortage problem in the State through various initiatives. Appropriates funds to address the problem.
• Senate Bill 3251 Increases the general excise tax to fund state education costs; exempts groceries, over-the-counter nonprescription medications, education and child care costs from the general excise tax; establishes a state earned income tax credit and a volunteer tax credit for individual taxpayers providing volunteer services in public schools. Increases the standard deduction.
• Senate Bill 3253 Address workforce development issues within the State through various initiatives, programs, and appropriations. Extends the educational workforce working group two years.
• Senate Bill 2878 Creates the Early Learning Council to govern the state’s early learning system. Establishes an early learning system. Establishes the Keiki First Steps Program.
• Senate Bill 3250 Requires the University of Hawaii to develop a system of institutional financial performance incentives.