STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3903

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 42

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 42 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO MEET THE CRITERIA NECESSARY TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE CHEERLEADING AS A TITLE IX SPORT IN HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Education to meet the criteria to officially recognize competitive cheerleading as a Title IX sport in Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women.

Your Committee finds that disparities in school athletics have historically limited opportunities for female students, necessitating ongoing gender equity initiatives, such as Title IX. Your Committee further finds that the vast majority of Department of Education high schools have cheer teams, yet these athletes are not counted as "student-athletes" for the purposes of Title IX protections. This measure promotes the equitable allocation of resources, facilities, and support for the State's over five hundred competitive cheer athletes by supporting alignment of the sport with Title IX requirements.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 42, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 42, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair