STAND. COM. REP. NO. 185-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 283
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No.
283 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to change the status of the
nonvoting student member of the Board of Education (BOE) to that
of a voting member.

     Kokua Council and several students testified in support of
this bill.  BOE opposed this bill.

     Your Committee finds that allowing the student member of the
BOE to have voting status constitutes a positive change for the
BOE.  The student member sees and experiences the effects of the
Board's policymaking first-hand and is in constant contact with
other students.  Students are both the consumers and the products
of the educational system.  Therefore, being a student gives the
member unique insights into the needs of the BOE's constituency
and the quality of the educational product.

     Your Committee further finds that the student is well-
equipped to handle the responsibility of voting membership.  Any
student appointed to the BOE has undergone a rigorous screening
process, and has demonstrated the intellect, maturity, and
dedication necessary to perform well.  Furthermore, concerns
regarding the legality of having a voting student member have

 
 
 
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been addressed by the current and former state Attorney Generals.
Both concurred that under the provisions of this bill, there
would be nothing to restrict the minor student from being a
voting member, as the State Constitution itself would allow for
this.  Accordingly, your Committee finds no reason to keep the
student member of the BOE from attaining voting status, and urges
the passage of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by stipulating that the
student member of the BOE shall not vote on matters concerning
personnel, as the student could likely face serious conflicts of
interest regarding these decisions.

     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 H.B. No.
283, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 283, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair