STAND. COM. REP. NO. 758

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 133

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 133, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SURFING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education to support the establishment of surfing as an interscholastic sport.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Kauaʻi; one member of the Kauaʻi County Council; Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation; Hawaii Water Safety Coalition; Hawaiian Lifeguard Association; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that, in recognition of surfing as a part of the State's history and its long-standing cultural roots in Hawaii, surfing was sanctioned by the Department of Education and approved by the Board of Education as a high school sport in 2016. However, only one of five local athletic leagues have sponsored surfing. This measure appropriates funds to support surfing as an interscholastic sport to provide opportunities for students to pursue competitive surfing in the future.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000.

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. 133, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 133, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair