STAND. COM. REP. NO. 210-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1587

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1587 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Public Access Room to establish and maintain an outreach and engagement program for primary, secondary, post-secondary, and community education and provide funding for one full-time equivalent position to assist in effectuating this requirement;

(2) Require the Department of Education and University of Hawaii to assign appropriate staff to coordinate with the Public Access Room with respect to the outreach and engagement program;

(3) Establish and fund two full-time equivalent permanent civic education resource teacher positions within the Department of Education; and

(4) Appropriate funds to establish one full-time equivalent position within The Public Access Room.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education; Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network; and two individuals. Your Committees received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education; Department of the Attorney General; and Legislative Reference Bureau.

Your Committees find that civic education prepares students to participate in the public and political lives of their communities and helps students develop critical thinking skills that are vital to the functioning of a democratic nation. Your Committees note, however, that in the 2020 general election, forty states had a higher voter turnout than Hawaii. Your Committees further find that increasing access to civic education in Hawaii's public school system will help to increase voter turnout and citizen engagement over the long term.

Your Committees also find that creating positive and focused engagement with students, educators, and citizens will promote learning about the Legislature, deeper understanding of and participation in the legislative process, and greater interaction with legislators. Your Committees believe that the Public Access Room, an office under the Legislative Reference Bureau, is well-positioned to further civic engagement between the Legislature and students in the State through educational partnerships.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that this measure is a matter of statewide concern pursuant to article X, section 6 of the Hawaii State Constitution;

(2) Amending the appropriation to the Legislative Reference Bureau to be for the establishment of two full-time equivalent positions within the Public Access Room;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education & Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1587, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1587, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Higher Education & Technology,

____________________________ AMY A. PERRUSO, Chair

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair