State Senate Democrats have endorsed Gov. Linda Lingle’s plan to use $50 million from the rainy day fund to help reduce teacher furlough days.

State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa told reporters after majority Democrats met in private caucus today that the Senate was on board with the governor’s plan and a special session to authorize the use of the rainy day fund. Hanabusa said the Senate’s support was contingent on agreement by the state House and public-sector labor unions.
“What we decided that we would tell the public is the fact that the Senate is on board and ready, as long as everyone else is there, to go forward on a special session and to leave the collective bargaining parts of it up to the people who have to do collective bargaining,” she said. “But to the extent that legislation would be necessary, we are willing to do that.
“And we feel that the sooner everyone gets together, the better it is.”
Hanabusa, D-21st (Nänäkuli, Mäkaha), said senators would like to hold a special session before mid-December. She said any later would be too close to the holidays. The next regular session of the state Legislature starts in January.
State House Democrats are expected to meet tomorrow in private caucus to discuss teacher furloughs. State House Speaker Calvin Say, D-20th (St. Louis Heights, Pälolo Valley, Wilhelmina Rise), has said he wants the Hawaii State Teachers Association and educators to agree on Lingle’s proposal before he would back a special session.
Hanabusa and Say are expected to brief Lingle tomorrow.
Lingle on Sunday recommended eliminating 27 of the 34 furlough days in the HSTA’s two-year contract. The governor said money from the rainy day fund would cancel 12 days while teachers should agree to give up planning and collaboration days to restore classroom time and erase 15 furlough days.
The teachers’ union has said it is open to the idea but had yet to receive a formal offer from the governor or the state Department of Education.