HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2140
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to school athletics.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that currently the following sports are recognized by the Hawaii High School Athletic Association:  basketball, baseball, softba1l, vo1leyball, bowling, air riflery, cheerleading, cross country, football, canoe paddling, soccer, swimming and diving, wrest1ing, golf, judo, tennis, track and field, and water polo.  In May 2004, the board of education voted 9-0 that surfing could be added to this list of recognized sports, and approved board of education policy 2180, which "recognizes that surfing, or he‘e nalu, has been a part of Hawaii's history since ancient times.  Surfing is recognized for its long-standing historical and cultural roots and significance to Hawaii.  Surfing is the official individual sport of the State.  The Board of Education approves surfing as a high school sport.  The Department of Education shall adopt regulations to implement surfing as a high school sport."

     To date, however, surfing has not attained the status of other interscholastic sports.  The department of education has expressed concerns regarding costs and liability, and surfing remains a club level activity.

     The legislature further finds that after several years of club level competition, the department now has available specific cost information and data related to any liability issues that may have arisen.  In addition, the legislature finds that surfing is a sport that would meet the requirements of Title IX of the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, which grants equal opportunity in sports to female and male athletes.

     The purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to consider the addition of surfing to the sports recognized by the Hawaii High School Athletic Association.

     SECTION 2.  The department of education shall consider the addition of surfing to the sports recognized by the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, which shall include the following:

     (1)  A review of board of education policy 2180 and any regulations adopted by the department of education to implement surfing as a high school sport, pursuant to the requirements of policy 2180;

     (2)  A review of all public school surf clubs, including:

         (A)  A listing of all surf clubs, the date of each club's founding, and numbers of students involved annually;

         (B)  Surf club policies and requirements for students and coaches, and an assessment of any differences in policies and requirements among surf clubs;

         (C)  Budgets or other financial data relevant to costs of surf club participation, including any competitive event costs; and

         (D)  Any liability concerns or issues encountered by surf clubs;

     (3)  Projected costs of adding surfing as a recognized interscholastic sport; and

     (4)  A timetable for implementation.

     The department of education shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2011.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Education; School Athletics; Keiki Caucus

Description:

Requires the department of education to consider the addition of surfing to the sports recognized by the Hawaii High School Athletic Association; requires report to the 2011 legislature.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.