STAND. COM. REP. NO.519

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 1489

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Science, Arts, and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1489 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC ACCESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Legislative Reference Bureau for a public access pilot initiative to encourage students to participate in the legislative process.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two students. The Department of Education submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that the democratic process is based on and requires the active and involved participation of an informed citizenry in order to properly function. In light of this, your Committee believes it is important for state government to continue to support activities that encourage students and adults to become more civic-minded and facilitate their involvement in the democratic process. Your Committee believes that one of the most effective ways to protect and preserve our democratic system of government is by educating and involving the youth who will eventually become the leaders of tomorrow.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by inserting new language that:

(1) Establishes a Student Legislative Participation Pilot Project to increase the involvement of Hawaii students in the legislative process;

(2) Establishes a steering committee to be appointed by the presiding officers of the Legislature to plan and coordinate the pilot project; and

(3) Appropriates $50,000 to the Legislative Reference Bureau for the Student Legislative Participation Pilot Project.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Science, Arts, and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1489, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1489, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Science, Arts, and Technology,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair