HB2330.DOC

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in the United States, more than one-fourth of our children, over fifteen million children, are left alone and unsupervised after school. Thirty per cent, or nearly four million, of middle school students are left unsupervised until their parents return home from work. The legislature further finds that juvenile violence peaks in the after-school hours on school days and in the evenings on non-school days. Sixty-three per cent of violent crimes committed by juveniles occur on school days, while nearly one-fifth of all juvenile violent crimes occur between the hours of three and seven o’clock in the evening. During fiscal year 2013, the police made over three thousand arrests of juveniles in Hawaii between the ages of twelve and fourteen.

The legislature finds that according to the department of education’s 2011 superintendent’s 22^nd annual report, Hawaii’s dropout rate has reached over sixteen per cent with a graduation rate of only around eighty per cent. Nearly half of the high school drop outs reported that they started high school ill-prepared. The legislature further finds that research indicates that each disconnected youth costs the taxpayers nearly $14,000 per year, which can continue and even increase in the future as some disenfranchised youth become part of the juvenile justice/court systems. The stakes of disengagement are high. Once students are disconnected, recruitment, enrollment, and retention into programs require stronger and more persistent outreach, more intensive services, and more long-term participation.

The legislature finds that middle/intermediate school years are a pivotal time for our keiki, a time when they can succumb to peer pressure and significantly derail their education and futures. Accordingly, participation in high-quality after-school programs can lead to improved attendance, better behavior and better academic performance. Keeping our keiki engaged in positive after-school activities will help to keep them on the path towards graduation and productive futures. Currently, there are approximately thirty-nine thousand middle/intermediate public school students in Hawaii. Approximately half of the fifty-four middle/intermediate schools receive some federal or state funding for after-school programming. However, such funding is inconsistent or unreliable.

The legislature finds that in March 2013, the administration, through the lieutenant governor, established the R.E.A.C.H. initiative, which stands for "resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health" to develop a standardized framework and funding for after-school programs for public middle/intermediate school students throughout the State. The legislature further finds that the establishment of a state-subsidized after-school program for middle/intermediate public school students is important to the future of our keiki and the welfare of our State as a whole.

The legislature further finds that the office of youth services, within the department of human services, provides comprehensive front end services and programs for youth to prevent delinquency and reduce the incidence of recidivism. The office is dedicated to creating opportunities for youth to develop competencies that foster resiliency and enable them to achieve a successful transition to young adulthood. The legislature determines that the objectives of the R.E.A.C.H. initiative are wholly aligned with those of the office of youth services.

The purpose of this Act is to establish the R.E.A.C.H. program to provide a standardized framework and funding for after-school programs in public middle/intermediate schools. This Act also:

(1) Establishes a revolving fund to receive fees and other moneys to supplement the costs of administering and operating the program;

(2) Appropriates funds for establishing the R.E.A.C.H. program to provide funding for after-school programs in middle/intermediate public schools; and

(3) Establishes one full-time equivalent position to support the program and appropriates funds for that position.

SECTION 2. Chapter 352D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding three new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§352D- Resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program; established. (a) There is established the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program within the office.

§352D- Resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program; powers and duties.

(a) The office shall provide funding to establish, support, or enhance after-school programs in public middle or intermediate schools. The office may enter into contracts with middle or intermediate schools, individuals, organizations, or other entities to provide after-school programs to public middle and intermediate schools.

(b) The office shall:

(1) Establish criteria, application, selection, and award processes for funding after-school programs;

(2) Monitor the after-school programs within each school;

(3) Conduct site evaluations for schools with after-school programs funded under the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program; and

(4) Ensuring each after-school program meets contractual expectations.

§352D- Resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program revolving fund. (a) There is established the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program, hereinafter R.E.A.C.H., revolving fund to be administered by the office.

(b) The R.E.A.C.H. program revolving fund shall consist of:

(1) Fees collected by the office for administering and operating the R.E.A.C.H. program, and the provision of program services;

(2) Legislative appropriations;

(3) All interest earned on the deposit or investment of moneys in the R.E.A.C.H. program revolving fund; and

(4) Any other moneys made available to the R.E.A.C.H. program revolving fund from any other sources.

(c) The office may establish participation fees and other charges to be assessed to each student for the cost of administering and operating the R.E.A.C.H. program. The revenues from those fees shall be deposited into the revolving fund to be used to supplement the costs of administering and operating the program."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $3,100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 to be deposited into the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program revolving fund.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program revolving fund of the State of Hawaii the sum of $3,100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 to carry out the purposes of this Act, including establishment and operations of the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program, including one full-time equivalent position (1.0 FTE).

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of youth services for purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2014.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________
	BY REQUEST

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2330
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII