Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2667, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Education to establish and implement a Hawaiian language medium education program.

Specifically, this measure authorizes the program to be established as a complete educational program or schooling experience provided to students in the medium of the Hawaiian language. Furthermore, this bill authorizes the Department of Education to provide facilities for the program or provide transportation to schooling sites providing the program.

Your Committee finds that in April 2001, the Board of Education adopted a policy to support the perpetuation of the Hawaiian language and culture through the programs in the public schools. The adoption of this policy follows the May 2000 settlement agreement between the Department of Education and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs that creates a five-year partnership between the two agencies for the support of the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program. Your Committee finds that this measure provides official legislative support to the Department's commitment to Hawaiian language immersion programs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2667, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.