STAND. COM. REP. NO. 580-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2010

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2010 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to provide scholarships to students pursuing Hawaiian language degrees through the University of Hawaii's Hawaiian language programs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one Councilmember of Hawaii County Council, Ke One O Kakiuhihewa-Oahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and eight individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii System, Kamehameha Schools, and one individual.

Your Committees find that according to article X, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the "State shall provide for a Hawaiian education program consisting of language, culture and history in the public schools." This commitment was recently reaffirmed by the Hawaii Supreme Court in their August 13, 2019, ruling on Clarabal v. Department of Education, which held "that the Hawaiian education provision was intended to require the State to institute a program that is reasonably calculated to revive the Hawaiian language." This measure appropriates funds to support the preservation and cultivation of the Hawaiian language.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Directing the appropriation of general funds for scholarships for students pursuing a Hawaiian language certification or degree within the University of Hawaii system, rather than for specific University of Hawaii programs; and

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2010, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2010, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair