HONOLULU -- House and Senate Republicans said the 17 furlough Fridays in public schools are immoral, so they are offering their own solutions.

Republicans said the contract between the Department of Education and public school teachers should be reopened.

The lawmakers said they believe teacher furloughs should not come from instructional days, but be taken from non-instructional days like parent-teacher conference days and holidays.

"We are coming up with solutions that don't require a special session. It requires the DOE doing what is responsible and what is morally right for the children of Hawaii," Sen. Fred Hemmings said.

Republicans said they also do not favor raiding the hurricane or rainy day funds. The GOP lawmakers called those short-term fixes.

They also are pushing for a full audit of the Department of Education.

Some Democratic leaders said all options are on the table right now, including hiking the excise tax, something Gov. Linda Lingle has said she would veto.