HCR31

WHEREAS, religious intolerance and discrimination continue to be the root causes of many of the conflicts around the world; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America was founded by those seeking to practice their religion freely, and the American justice system, including all legal professionals involved, should be working to uphold this principle; and

WHEREAS, the National High School Mock Trial Championship has been, until this date, a prestigious event that requires a tremendous amount of preparation, skill, and dedication on behalf of those students who are competing, and is looked upon with distinction by institutions of higher learning; and

WHEREAS, the National High School Mock Trial Championship is a program based on constitutional law; and

WHEREAS, the National High School Mock Trial Championship espouses the goals of heightening "appreciation of the principle of equal justice for all" and promoting the "exchange of ideas among students from throughout the United States"; and

WHEREAS, the Torah Academy of Bergen County of Teaneck, New Jersey, won the 2005 New Jersey State Bar Foundation High School tournament, and was eligible to compete in the National High School Mock Trial Championship; and

WHEREAS, the members of the mock trial team from Torah Academy observe the Sabbath, in accordance with their practice of Orthodox Judaism, and would not have been able to participate in any National High School Mock Trial Championship competitions from sundown on Friday through sundown on Saturday without certain accommodations; and

WHEREAS, satisfactory accommodations were made to allow Torah Academy of Teaneck, New Jersey, to compete during the last National High School Mock Trial Championship held in Charlotte, North Carolina, from May 5-7, 2005, without violating the religious practices of the students; and

WHEREAS, a review of the post-host report compiled after the 2005 Championship showed a majority of the comments supported the accommodations made for the Torah Academy students and the benefit of competing with the Torah Academy students; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the National High School Mock Trial Championship voted on October 15, 2005, to refuse any future accommodations for students who observe Sabbath on Friday and/or Saturday; and

WHEREAS, students who have otherwise met all of the criteria to participate in the qualifying competitions leading to the National High School Mock Trial Championship should be able to compete regardless of their religious affiliation; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation unanimously voted at its October 27, 2005, meeting that New Jersey will not compete in the National High School Mock Trial Championship unless the National Board establishes a policy permitting accommodation for religious observance; and

WHEREAS, on January 6, 2006, the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers also officially withdrew from participating in the National High School Mock Trial Championship because the National Board would not make changes to the competition's schedule to accommodate students with religious restrictions; and

WHEREAS, the decision of the Board of Directors of the National High School Mock Trial Championship to refuse any future accommodations for students who observe their Sabbath on Friday and/or Saturday adversely and wrongly impacts observant Jewish, Muslim, and Seventh-Day Adventist students; and

WHEREAS, the decision made by the Board of Directors of the National High School Mock Trial Championship is inconsistent with American principles of religious freedom and equal protection; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature urges the Board of Directors of the National High School Mock Trial Championship to accommodate the religious beliefs of students participating in the competition; and;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the National High School Mock Trial Championship is urged to restructure the rules of the competition to allow qualifying students of all faiths to compete fully in this national championship without having to violate their religious beliefs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National High School Mock Trial Championship.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Mock Trial Championship

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	31
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII