STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3362

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1551

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1551, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for the Office of Hawaiian Education to provide instruction to public school students on Hawaiian history, culture, arts, and language and to oversee the constitutionally established Hawaiian education programs and the Hawaiian language medium education program.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Board of Education, the Department of Education, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Ka Lei Papahi o Kakuhihewa, and seven individuals.  Written comments in opposition were received from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies.  Ahu Kauleo Hawaiian Immersion Advisory Council submitted written comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that establishing the Office of Hawaiian Education will help to ensure that Hawaiian values, language, culture, and history provide a foundation for preparing Hawaii's public school students to succeed in college, their careers, and improving their communities.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Amending the purpose section to align the measure with Board of Education policies;

(2)  Removing Hawaiian art instruction from the responsibilities of the Office of Hawaiian Education; and

(3)  Placing Ka papahana kaiapuni under the direct oversight and responsibility of the Office of Hawaiian Education.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1551, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1551, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair