STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1650

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 1164

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1164, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MILITARY CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to remove barriers to educational success faced by children of military families due to frequent moves caused by the deployment of their parents by enacting the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (Compact) which, among other things:

     (1)  Facilitates the timely enrollment of children of military families and ensures that they are not placed at a disadvantage due to difficulties in the transfer of education records or variations in entrance and age requirements;

     (2)  Facilitates the qualification and eligibility for enrollment, educational programs, and participation in extracurricular academic, athletic, and social activities;

     (3)  Provides for the uniform collection and sharing of information between and among member states, schools, and military families under the Compact; and

     (4)  Promotes flexibility and cooperation between the educational system, parents, and the student.

     The State Department of Defense, Department of Education, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and Hawaii Business Roundtable supported this bill.  The Governor's Administration provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the membership of the State Council on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (Council) by specifying that the Council include one installation-level representative from each branch of service of the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard;

     (2)  Clarifying the definition of "active duty"; and

     (3)  Clarifying that the Council shall establish policies and procedures governing its operations, but subject to the open meeting requirements of chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1164, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1164, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair