Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1780 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to increase parent involvement in the education of their children by clarifying statutory language pertaining to paid leave for parents who attend parent-teacher and parent-caregiver conferences. More specifically, this measure:

The State Department of Human Resources Development, Department of Human Resources of the City and County of Honolulu, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association testified in support of this bill.

Your Committee finds that existing statutory language regarding paid time off to attend parent-teacher and parent-caregiver conferences could be misinterpreted to allow for unlimited time off for government employees. Moreover, your Committee notes that children who have reached the age of majority continue to attend school through the twelfth grade and should be afforded the same opportunity as their peers who are minors. This bill addresses and clarifies these issues and meets the interests of all parties concerned.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1780 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.