STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3347

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 38

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.R. No. 38 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HEALTH IMPACTS OF HEAVY BACKPACKS AND TO TAKE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO AVOID INJURY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge school administrators, teachers, parents, and students to be educated about the potential health impacts of heavy backpacks and to take proactive measures to avoid injury.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i and one individual.

Your Committees find that overloaded school backpacks are increasingly causing back pain and spinal strain to students across the nation. Because spinal ligaments and muscles are not fully developed until after the age of sixteen, overweight backpacks are a source of repeated low-level stress that may result in chronic neck, shoulder, or back pain in children. Backpacks often are not worn correctly, increasing the weight on the shoulders and making the child lean forward when walking or stoop forward when standing to compensate for the weight. Therefore, it is critical to educate and bring awareness to this issue to prevent backpack-related injuries for students.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 38 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair