198
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION TO CONVENE A BLUE
    RIBBON PANEL TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A
    HAWAII HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC FOUNDATION.



 1        WHEREAS, Hawaii's lethargic economy has taken its toll on
 2   all state agencies, including the Department of Education; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, restricted state funding has adversely affected
 5   high school athletic programs which have traditionally been the
 6   first to suffer budget cuts before academic programs; and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, athletic programs provide the means to develop
 9   sound bodies which in addition to sound minds produce healthy,
10   well-balanced and adjusted young people; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, athletic programs also serve as a means of
13   encouraging students to not only excel in a chosen sport but to
14   also extend that skill or ability to academics as well; and
15   
16        WHEREAS, in light of dwindling state funding, the
17   Department of Education must look to other sources of funding
18   to revitalize high school athletic programs; now, therefore,
19   
20        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
21   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
22   of 1999, that the Superintendent of Education is requested to
23   convene a Blue Ribbon Panel to study the feasibility of
24   establishing a Hawaii High School Athletic Foundation to accept
25   donations to fund high school athletic programs; and
26   
27        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Blue Ribbon Panel consist
28   of the Superintendent of Education or the Superintendent's
29   designee, who shall serve as Chairperson of the Blue Ribbon
30   Panel; the Chairperson of the Board of Education or the
31   Chairperson's designee; the Director of Business, Economic
32   Development, and Tourism or the Director's designee; the
33   Director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association or the
34   Director's designee; and any other organization or individual
35   the Superintendent, at the Superintendent's discretion, finds
36   may make a contribution to the Blue Ribbon Panel; and
37   

 
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 1        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Blue Ribbon Panel is
 2   requested to study the feasibility of soliciting funds from
 3   interested parties including professional athletes and
 4   organizations and private individuals and organizations; and
 5   
 6        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Blue Ribbon Panel consider
 7   fund raising strategies, as well as other possible approaches
 8   to raising funds and contributions; and
 9   
10        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Superintendent is
11   requested to report the Blue Ribbon Panel's findings and
12   recommendations to the Legislature twenty days before the
13   convening of the Regular Session of 2000; and 
14   
15        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
16   Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education;
17   the Chairperson of the Board of Education; the Director of
18   Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and the Director
19   of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association.
20 
21 
22 
23                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________