REPORT TITLE:
Learn-to-Swim


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds to develop a learn-to-swim program in the 4th
grade, to drownproof nonswimmers.  Requires a swim test of all
public school students as part of the program, and allows fees to
be collected by the department of education.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                            281         
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE,
1999                                                       
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A WATER SAFETY AND LEARN-TO-SWIM
   INSTRUCTION PROGRAM.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that because Hawaii is an
 
 2 island state, it might be expected that its residents would be
 
 3 highly proficient in swimming and water safety skills; the facts
 
 4 indicate otherwise: at least thirty-three persons drown every
 
 5 year, and hundreds have to be rescued from our waters.  A study
 
 6 involving more than six thousand youngsters, ages seven to
 
 7 fourteen, conducted by the city and county of Honolulu,
 
 8 department of parks and recreation, found that among this group,
 
 9 four thousand five hundred or seventy per cent of the test group,
 
10 were unable to swim fifty yards.  In order for the children of
 
11 Hawaii to safely enjoy and appreciate Hawaii's abundant water
 
12 environment, it is essential that they know the fundamentals of
 
13 water safety and swimming and that they be adequately schooled in
 
14 those fundamentals as well as the basic skills needed in the
 
15 event of an accident.  
 
16      The purpose of this Act is to accomplish these objectives by
 
17 providing funding to make basic swimming, drownproofing, and
 
18 water safety instruction available to all fourth grade students.
 

 
Page 2                                         281         
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                            
                                                        



 
 1      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 2 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $189,270 or so much
 
 3 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
 4 of $189,270 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
 5 year 2000-2001 for the development of a water safety and learn-
 
 6 to-swim program for public school students in the fourth grade;
 
 7 provided that:
 
 8      (1)  The department may adopt a reasonable schedule of fees
 
 9           in accordance with chapter 91; and                     
 
10      (2)  Students shall be tested for swimming and drownproofing 
 
11           skills as part of this program.
 
12      SECTION 3.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
13 department of education for the purposes of this Act.
 
14      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
15 
 
16                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________