STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1387

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 185
                                     S.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No.
185, S.D. 2, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to codify the establishment and
duties of the Hawaii State Student Council (HSSC).

     Currently, the HSSC is sanctioned by the Board of Education
and is charged with scheduling regular meetings for the
discussion of student issues and concerns, recommending and
advising courses of action to the Department of Education,
maintaining communication with the Board of Education, and
communicating its deliberations and activities to its
representative school districts and student councils.

     By codifying the establishment and duties of the HSSC, the
Legislature would formally recognize the HSSC as the official
organization of Hawaii's public schools.  Codification would also
reflect the Legislature's recognition and appreciation of the
role students play in not only improving public education in the
the State but also in participating in the formulation of
educational policies.


 
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                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1387
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     The bill also transfers the duties and responsibilities of
conducting a secondary school students conference under chapter
317, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to the HSSC.

     Your Committee received favorable testimony from the Hawaii
State Teachers Association and three representatives of HSSC.
Your Committee also received comments from the Board of Education
which expressed concerns regarding the bill.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
185, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be
referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Education,



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair

 
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