STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2261

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2902

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2902 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOR PEACE EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawaii for staff, research, and an international conference.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Manoa Mediation and Peace Club of the University of Hawaii and fourteen individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the world in which we live is filled with violence and killing.  We live in an era that will be remembered for the war in Iraq and violence in our schools and neighborhoods, as in the case of the Virginia Polytechnic and State University killings.  Your Committee further finds that, although Hawaii promotes the spirit of aloha, incidents of violence have infiltrated our own communities, particularly in light of recent tragic events involving incidences of domestic violence and violence against children.  In order to foster peaceful school environments and communities, especially for our keiki, the State must actively address and promote existing programs that are dedicated to reducing violence and promoting peace in our communities and throughout the world.  This measure appropriates funds for additional positions at the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace and for research projects and an international conference on peace and conflict resolution.  Your Committee believes that this funding is necessary to assist and support the important work being undertaken by the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace.

     Although funding is always an issue for the State, your Committee believes that this measure should continue to move forward through the legislative session to examine methods for providing support to the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the appropriation for additional positions at the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace;

     (2)  Maintaining the requirement that the additional positions at the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace be established; and

     (3)  Reducing the appropriation for research, activities, and operations of the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2902, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2902, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair