STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2745

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2441

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2441, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture, and Health (REACH) program and provide funds for its staffing and operation.

     Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Statutorily establishes within the Office of Youth Services the REACH program to provide a framework and funding for after-school programs in public middle and intermediate schools;

     (2)  Establishes a revolving fund to receive fees and other moneys to be used for administering and operating the program; and

     (3)  Appropriates funds for the operation of the REACH program including the hiring of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position to support the program.

     Written comments in support were submitted by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the Office of Youth Services of the Department of Human Services, the Hawaii Youth Services Network, Reach Out Hawaii, and Oceanic Time Warner Cable.  Written comments on the measure were received from the Department of the Attorney General.

     Your Committee finds that there is a clear need to provide more opportunities for youth to engage in high-quality after-school programs and activities that keep them focused on learning, counteract negative peer pressures, and make them more likely to graduate and enjoy healthy and productive futures.  Establishing the Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture, and Health program, and providing funds for its staffing and operation, will substantially contribute to Hawaii youth reaching these goals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Specifying how the moneys in the REACH program revolving fund may be used;

     (2)  Changing the amounts of the appropriations to unspecified sums;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (4)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 2441, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2441, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair