STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1217

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.C.R. No. 42

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on International Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 42 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION STRONGLY URGING THE UNITED NATIONS TO RECOGNIZE BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION THE MILLIONS OF LEGALLY UNREGISTERED CHILDREN IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA KNOWN AS THE HEI HAIZI,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to acquire international recognition for the legally unregistered children of the People's Republic of China by requesting the United Nations General Assembly to issue a resolution on their behalf.

     The Senator of the 13th District, the Education Advancement Fund International, and two concerned citizens testified in support of this resolution. The Representative of the 17th District supported the resolution with amendments.

     Your Committee received written testimony that in the People's Republic of China (PRC), a one child-per-family policy known as the "jihua shengyu" exists and is enforced by the State Family Planning Commission and the Communist Party as a result of growing overpopulation. Families which exceed the one child ceiling are required to pay a social compensation fee, and those who are unable to pay the fee are penalized by their child not being legally registered. Your Committee was informed that eight million children – roughly equivalent to the current population of the State of Virginia – are currently unregistered in the PRC as a result of this policy. These children, who are unregistered, neither exist officially or are eligible to receive education or state welfare benefits.

     A concerned citizen informed your Committee with written comments that

     "the millions of unregistered children in China … provide a      terrible potential vector for insurgency in later decades.    History is full of examples of disaffected persons and peoples who, forgotten by their government, rose up in      insurrection.  These persons who are 'off the grid' are also perfect for recruitment by terrorist organizations since they    do not officially exist and have no official record with any      government."

     In light of this testimony, your Committee finds that a significant humanitarian crisis exists in the PRC and that international attention is merited regarding the plight of the Hei Haizi. Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 42, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 42, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on International Affairs,

____________________________

RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair