STAND. COM. REP. NO. 36

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 69

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 69 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture, and Health (R.E.A.C.H.) program of the Department of Education.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa College of Education, Ewa Makai Middle School, Hawai‘i Afterschool Alliance, Island of Hawaii YMCA, Hawai‘i Association of School Psychologists, After-School All-Stars Hawaii, Hui for Excellence in Education Coalition, YMCA of Honolulu, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that after-school programming provides important learning and enrichment opportunities for Hawaii's youth and supports their academic growth and social-emotional learning. Your Committee further finds that the R.E.A.C.H. program provides dedicated after-school programs for public middle and intermediate school students and ensure those students remain engaged in their education and community. This measure appropriates funds for the R.E.A.C.H. program to promote youth and children's growth and development through after-school programs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000; and

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

Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure, your Committee on Education respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $2,500,000 to the Department of Education for the Department's Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture and Health program.

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. 69, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 69, 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