STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2144

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2231

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2231 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide a standardized framework and funding for after-school programs in public middle and intermediate schools, more specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Establishes the R.E.A.C.H. program within the Office of Youth Services; and

     (2)  Authorizes individual schools participating in the R.E.A.C.H. program to receive fees and other monies to supplement the costs of administering and operating the program.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, State Public Charter School Commission, Office of Youth Services, Family Programs Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and five individuals.

     Your Committees find that in Hawaii over 54,000 children are left alone unsupervised until their parents return home from work each day, and most violent crimes committed by juveniles occur on school days.  After-school programs are an investment in Hawaii's youth.  State-funded programs and increased availability of programs have led to higher participation rates in after-school programs.  Middle school years are an important, formative time in a child's life.  Once a child disconnects, it is much more difficult to recruit the child back and retain the child in school.  More persistent outreach and long-term participation in after-school programs foster a connection between children and school, and thus graduation from high school, college, and establishment of a career all ultimately lead to a better quality of life.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2231 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair