STAND. COM. REP. NO. 755

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 239

       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.B. No. 239, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to improve the administration of the annual conference of secondary school students, which enables students to identify, discuss, and recommend solutions to major youth problems.

Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Repeals chapter 317, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and moves the statutory provisions relating to the annual conference to chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to education;

     (2)  Replaces the Governor's authority to appoint members of the student conference committee with that of the Superintendent of Education and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools;

     (3)  Repeals the provision requiring that the Legislature and the Department of Education be included in the membership of the student conference advisory committee, and instead, requires the Department of Education to maintain guidelines and procedures for establishing the advisory committee;

     (4)  Repeals the three-day limit for the annual conference and provides that the conference is subject to program and funding limitations; and

     (5)  Repeals the requirement for an evaluation report on conference proceedings.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.

     Your Committee finds that the annual conference of secondary school students provides an opportunity to acquire valuable skills and learn from other students through a forum on issues that affect youths.  This measure seeks to provide an improved framework for conducting the annual conference, the appointment of members to the student conference committee, and the composition of the student conference advisory committee.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 239, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair