STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1478

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 194

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 194, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE STATE AND THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC PLAYGROUND THAT ALLOWS VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN TO FREELY EXPLORE THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND INTERACT WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS IN A SAFE, WELCOMING, AND DEVELOPMENTALLY ENRICHING ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage the establishment of a public playground that is accessible for visually-impaired children.

     Your Committee finds that for visually-impaired children to play safely, playground design accommodations are necessary for their specific needs.  Your Committee finds that a playground that is accessible for visually-impaired children encourages and enables these children to interact and develop social relationships with their peers in a safe, fun, and developmentally enriching environment.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 194, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair