Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 106 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge the President of the United States and Congress to fully fund the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The Department of Education submitted testimony in support of the intent of this bill.

Your Committee finds that when IDEA was passed, Congress pledged to fund approximately 40 percent of the cost of special education. To date, the State has received from the federal government less than 15 percent of the funding for services required under IDEA. The failure to fund these mandated services at a satisfactory level has put a tremendous strain on Hawaii and other states. Your Committee urges the federal government to follow through on its promise to fund IDEA at the 40 percent level.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 106 and recommends its adoption.