STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2987

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 51

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Education and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 51 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ADMINISTRATION OF A YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY TO STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX TO TWELVE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request:

     (1)  The Department of Education to administer a youth risk behavior survey to students in grades six to twelve attending public schools, including charter schools; and

     (2)  Private schools to administer a youth risk behavior survey to students in grades six to twelve.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Department of Health, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, Hui for Excellence in Education, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that more information is needed about youth behavior and health in order to assess the leading factors of death, disability, and health complications among youth and to improve health education programs. 

Your Committees further find that the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System to collect data about youth behavior and health, and one vital part of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System is a nationwide school-based surveying effort using the Youth Risk Behavior Survey to monitor students' health risks and behaviors.  This measure will help collect important data about a large portion of Hawaii's youth.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending its title to read: "REQUESTING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY TO STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX TO TWELVE IN SELECT SCHOOLS.";

     (2)  Clarifying that the administration of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey be administered in select public schools, including select charter schools, rather than in every school; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 51, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 51, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Human Services,

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

____________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair