STAND. COM. REP. NO.  568

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 237

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 237, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS FOR JUVENILES INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide additional support for the education of juveniles age fourteen and older, who are involved in the criminal justice system and who are unable to achieve academically in a traditional school setting.

     More specifically, this measure appropriates an unspecified amount from the general fund to establish alternative schools in the Leeward Oahu and Honolulu school districts.

The Department of Education, Judiciary, City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee believes that this measure will help address the shortage of alternative programs and provide additional educational opportunities for juveniles in the criminal justice system.  To that end, your Committee suggests that the Department of Education consider its High Core Program as a potentially successful model for the new alternative schools to be funded by this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 237, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair