Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 38 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to request the United States Congress to appropriate funds to cover 40 percent of special education and related services for children with disabilities.

The Department of Education testified in support of this measure, and recommended revisions.

Your Committees recognize that through the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, Congress authorized the federal government to pay 40 percent of each state's "excess cost" of educating children with disabilities. However, Congress has never followed through on this commitment, leaving the states with the momentous task of funding the federally mandated program standards.

The federal government currently provides only less than ten percent of the "excess cost." Your Committees request that Congress follow through on the commitment made 25 years to educate children with disabilities.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 38 and recommends its adoption.