Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 3258 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to foster international and cross-cultural understanding by directing the Department of Education (DOE), in consultation with a variety of other organizations, to develop and implement a Student-and-Faculty Exchange Program (Program) between Hawaii and the Philippines.

A concerned individual testified in support of this bill. DOE supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committees respectfully request DOE to consider hiring a contractor to develop and implement the Program, in light of the fact that with the implementation of Act 51, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, more DOE resources are going directly to the schools for direct services to students in the classroom.

Your Committees recognize that the success of such a program will depend heavily on support from community organizations, and therefore encourage community organizations to step forward to assist in the establishment of the Program.

Your Committees have amended this bill by:

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2006; and

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3258, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3258, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.