STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1299

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.C.R. No. 71

      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 Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 71 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SUPPORT A STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS IN HAWAII PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS IN PROVINCES IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES WITH WHICH THE STATE HAS STATE-PROVINCE RELATIONSHIPS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand Hawaii's international ties and develop goodwill, friendship, and economic relations between the people of Hawaii and the people of the Philippines by requesting the Department of Education to support a student exchange program for students in Hawaii public schools and students in provinces in the Republic of the Philippines with which the State has State-Province relationships.   

The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Congress of Visayan Organizations, and two concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Education supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the requirement that certified copies of the Concurrent Resolution be sent to the Governors of specific provinces in the Philippines; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 71, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Education in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 71, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair