STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1185

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.C.R. No. 170

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 170 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ENSURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S ANNUAL BUDGET REQUEST TO THE LEGISLATURE INCLUDES ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR HAWAIIAN EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Education to ensure that the Department's annual budget request to the Legislature include adequate funding for Hawaiian education.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Youth Services Network and seven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that Hawaiian literacy and education have been critical to preserving and maintaining Hawaiian culture despite colonization, depopulation, and past epidemics. Your Committee further finds that the economic and education setbacks caused in Hawaii by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provide an opportunity for the State to rethink its systems of learning. Your Committee believes the budget shortfalls caused by COVID-19 make it especially critical to protect and ensure adequate funding to maintain and expand Hawaiian education.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 170 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair