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 Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1535, S.D. 2, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to statutorily establish the Hawaii Commission for National and Community Service (HCNCS) within the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for administrative purposes.

HCNCS, the Department of Education, Hawaii Government Employees Association, and several individuals submitted testimony in support of this bill.

Your Committees find that in 1994, HCNCS was established by a gubernatorial executive order to encourage community service and volunteer participation. HCNCS has, and will continue to promote citizen involvement in communities throughout Hawaii, and strives to develop a vision and plan for community service initiatives in Hawaii. Your Committees feel that statutorily establishing HCNCS will solidify the Legislature's commitment to support community service and volunteerism in Hawaii. By appropriating state matching funds, Hawaii stands poised to receive more than $2,000,000 from the federal government to support volunteer programs throughout the State.

Upon further consideration, your Committees have amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1535, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1535, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.