STAND. COM. REP. NO. 282-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2222

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2222 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a Staggered School Start Times Task Force to study and evaluate the issues and implications of instituting a staggered school start times program throughout the state public school system.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education; Office of Information Practices; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that staggered school start times may improve students' academic and extracurricular performance and overall health. However, other issues that may complicate the implementation of staggered start times should be considered, including the impacts for sports and other afterschool activities, issues related to transporting students to and from schools, and financial considerations. Your Committee believes that a task force to study and evaluate the use of staggered school start times and its associated issues is warranted to enhance the State's ability to establish an educational system that produces the best learning environment for the State's K-12 students.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have exempted the Staggered School Start Times Task Force from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which establishes requirements for public agency meetings;

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

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

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. 2222, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2222, 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