Bill Text: HI HB1223 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Teacher Loans.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-12-11 - Carried over to 2024 Regular Session. [HB1223 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-HB1223-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1223 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO TEACHER LOANS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
The
legislature further finds that recruiting teachers to fill vital positions in Hawaii's
schools is extremely difficult. Due to
the high cost of living in the State, acquiring housing can be a significant obstacle
to accepting a position as a teacher. Additionally,
the payroll lag that new state employees experience exasperates the difficulty
in finding teachers to fill these essential positions. A program that incentivizes teachers to move
to areas having hard-to-fill positions will give the students of Hawaii's
public schools a better educational experience.
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to provide loans to teachers who agree to teach in
hard-to-fill positions of department of education schools and public charter
schools and to forgive those loans if the teacher remains in that teaching
position for five years.
SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to part III, subpart C, to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302A-A Teacher loans; department of education
schools; forgiveness. (a) There is established the department of
education teacher loan program to be administered by the department, in
partnership with a financial institution whose operations are principally
conducted in Hawaii, to provide financial support to teachers who agree to
teach as a full-time teacher for five years in:
(1) The Hawaii public school system in a
hard-to-fill position including special education, regular education shortage
categories, or Title 1 schools, and in one of the following capacities:
(A) As an elementary school teacher
teaching in the field of elementary education who has met standards as set
forth by the Hawaii teacher standards board; or
(B) As a secondary school teacher who
has met standards as set forth by the Hawaii teacher standards board; or
(2) At a school located in a rural area
in the State, as determined by the superintendent.
(b) Eligibility shall be determined by the
department with priority for teachers who:
(1) Relocate to Hawaii to teach; or
(2) Accept a position at a school in a
different complex area in Hawaii.
(c) Amounts to be loaned to each borrower shall
be determined by the board and shall not exceed $5,000 per borrower.
(d) Liability for repayment of a loan shall be
canceled upon the death or permanent total disability of the borrower.
(e) Upon a showing of proof that the borrower has
met the requirements of subsection (a)(1) or (2) for five years, the loan shall
be forgiven.
(f) If a borrower fails to meet the requirements
of subsection (a)(1) or (2) for five years, then the borrower shall repay the
loan at terms determined by the board; provided that the terms shall be
disclosed before the loan is made, the interest rate shall not exceed
per cent, and the repayment term shall not exceed years.
§302A-B Department of education teacher loan program revolving fund. There is established the department of education teacher loan program revolving fund for the purpose of providing loans pursuant to section 302A-A. Appropriations made by the legislature, private contributions, repayment of loans, including interest and payments received on account of principal, and moneys from other sources shall be deposited into the revolving fund and shall be expended by the department. An amount from the revolving fund not exceeding five per cent of the total amount of outstanding loans may be used by the department for administrative expenses incurred in administering the revolving fund."
SECTION 3. Chapter 302D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302D-A Teacher loans; public charter schools;
forgiveness. (a) There is established the public charter
school teacher loan program to be administered by the commission, in
partnership with a financial institution whose operations are principally
conducted in Hawaii, to provide financial support to teachers who agree to
teach as a full-time teacher for five years in:
(1) A public charter school in a
hard-to-fill position including special education, regular education shortage
categories, or Title 1 schools, and in one of the following capacities:
(A) As an elementary school teacher
teaching in the field of elementary education who has met standards as set
forth by the Hawaii teacher standards board; or
(B) As a secondary school teacher who
has met standards as set forth by the Hawaii teacher standards board; or
(2) At a school located in a rural area
in the State, as determined by the executive director.
(b) Eligibility shall be determined by the commission
with priority for teachers who relocate to Hawaii to teach.
(c) Amounts to be loaned to each borrower shall
be determined by the commission and shall not exceed $5,000 per borrower.
(d) Liability for repayment of a loan shall be
canceled upon the death or permanent total disability of the borrower.
(e) Upon a showing of proof that the borrower has
met the requirements of subsection (a)(1) or (2) for five years, the loan shall
be forgiven.
(f) If a borrower fails to meet the requirements
of subsection (a)(1) or (2) for five years, then the borrower shall repay the
loan at terms determined by the commission; provided that the terms shall be
disclosed before the loan is made, the interest rate shall not exceed
per cent, and the repayment term shall not exceed years.
§302D-B Public
charter school teacher loan program revolving fund. There is established the public charter
school teacher loan program revolving fund for the purpose of providing loans
pursuant to section 302D-A.
Appropriations made by the legislature, private contributions, repayment
of loans, including interest and payments received on account of principal, and
moneys from other sources shall be deposited into the revolving fund and shall
be expended by the commission. An amount
from the revolving fund not exceeding five per cent of the total amount of
outstanding loans may be used by the commission for administrative expenses
incurred in administering the revolving fund."
SECTION 4. 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 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for deposit into the department of education teacher loan program revolving fund established pursuant to section 302A-B, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of department of education teacher loan program revolving fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the department of education teacher loan program established pursuant to section 302A-A, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. 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 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for deposit into the public charter school teacher loan program revolving fund established pursuant to section 302D-B, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
SECTION 7. There is appropriated out of public charter school teacher loan program revolving fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the public charter school teacher loan program established pursuant to section 302D-A, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the state public charter school commission for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 8. In codifying the new sections added by sections 2 and 3 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.
SECTION 9. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000.
Report Title:
DOE; State Public Charter School Commission; Teacher Loans; Loan Forgiveness; Teacher Incentives
Description:
Establishes a teacher loan program to encourage individuals to become teachers in hard-to-fill positions of department of education schools. Allows the loan to be forgiven after five years of teaching in a hard-to-fill position. Establishes a similar teacher loan program for public charter schools. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
