THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            223
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO WORK WITH AND SEEK
    ASSISTANCE FROM COUNTY WATER SUPPLY AGENCIES AND PUBLIC
    UTILITY COMPANIES IN SOLICITING DONATIONS TO SUPPORT THE
    SERVICES OF THE HAWAII STATE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.



 1        WHEREAS, the fiscal crisis facing the State has resulted
 2   in severe budget cuts for most state agencies; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, these budget cuts have forced a substantial
 5   reduction or curtailment in public services; and
 6   
 7        WHEREAS, among the public services hardest hit by these
 8   budget cuts have been the services provided by the Hawaii State
 9   Public Library System; and
10   
11        WHEREAS, the State Public Library System provides a number
12   of important, quality programs and services to a wide spectrum
13   of people; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, these public programs and services generally are
16   unavailable except through public libraries; and
17   
18        WHEREAS, a systematic, concerted fund raising campaign
19   must be initiated throughout all Hawaii households on behalf of
20   the Hawaii State Public Library System to prevent any further
21   reduction or curtailment in services, hours, or acquisitions;
22   and
23   
24        WHEREAS, county water supply agencies and public utility
25   companies reach practically every household in the State, more
26   than any other entity except--possibly--for the United States
27   Postal Service; now, therefore,
28   
29        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
30   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
31   Representatives concurring, that the Board of Education is
32   requested to work with and seek assistance from county water
33   supply agencies and electric and telephone utility companies to

 
Page 2                                                     
                                  S.C.R. NO.            223
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   develop a system whereby the county water supply agencies and
 2   utility companies, through their respective billings, include a
 3   solicitation block on bills sent to their various customers
 4   requesting donations to support the Hawaii State Public Library
 5   System to fund such services, such as:  extended library hours;
 6   acquisition of books, tapes, compact discs, periodicals, and
 7   newspapers, including those in different foreign languages; and
 8   improving and increasing literacy programs; and
 9   
10        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
11   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the
12   Board of Education; the State Librarian; the mayor and council
13   chair of each county; and the Presidents of Hawaiian Electric
14   Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc., Maui
15   Electric Company, Ltd., Kauai Electric Division of Citizens
16   Utilities Company, and GTE Hawaiian Tel.
17 
18 
19 
20                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________