STAND. COM. REP. NO. 421-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2427

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2427 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPORTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Designate existing interscholastic sports recognized by the Department of Education as co-curricular activities; and

(2) Require the Department of Education to study and estimate the cost of implementing sports as co-curricular activities and report to the Legislature on its findings and recommendations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from seventeen individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that students who participate in interscholastic athletic activities experience a variety of benefits, including increased academic success, improved physical health, and improved leadership and teamwork abilities. This measure recognizes the importance of interscholastic sports by designating existing interscholastic sports as co-curricular activities, thereby considering the interscholastic sports as essential within the Department of Education.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that any sport recognized by the Department of Education shall be considered a co-curricular activity, including but not limited to air riflery, baseball, basketball, bowling, canoe paddling, cheerleading, cross country running, diving, football, golf, judo, soccer, soft tennis, softball, surfing, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling;

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

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2427, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2427, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair