138           
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE LEARN TO SWIM COALITION TO STUDY THE LEVEL OF
   ACCESS TO AND AFFORDABILITY OF SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY
   INSTRUCTION AMONG HAWAII'S CHILDREN AND YOUTH.



 1       WHEREAS, in the United States, drowning is the second
 2   leading cause of unintentional death for persons aged 5 to 44;
 3   and
 4   
 5       WHEREAS, according to the Department of Health, drowning is
 6   the second leading cause of death for those 0 to 17 years of
 7   age in the State; and
 8   
 9       WHEREAS, according to the City and County of Honolulu Ocean
10   Safety and Lifeguard Services Division, each year 850 to 1,000
11   persons are rescued from the ocean surrounding the island of
12   Oahu alone; and
13   
14       WHEREAS, according to the Department of Health and the
15   County Medical Examiners' Office, at least 38 Hawaii residents
16   drown each year, and six of those deaths are children aged 0 to
17   17 years; and
18   
19       WHEREAS, in a study conducted by the City and County of
20   Honolulu's Department of Parks and Recreation involving more
21   than 6,000 youngsters age 7 to 14, 70 percent of the youngsters
22   could not swim 50 yards; and
23   
24       WHEREAS, there is no mandatory swimming requirement in the
25   public school system, even though Hawaii is the only State that
26   is completely surrounded by the ocean; and
27   
28       WHEREAS, because of the year-round use of the ocean
29   environment for recreational purposes by Hawaii's youth, it is
30   essential that all children be exposed to basic water safety
31   skills and concepts at an early stage of their physical and
32   intellectual development; and
33   
34       WHEREAS, swimming is a skill that must be taught; and
35   
36       WHEREAS, public and private schools, as well as community
37   pools, need to be involved in making swimming and water safety
38   instruction available to all of Hawaii's youth; and

 
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                                  H.R. NO.              
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       WHEREAS, in response to the need to provide swimming and
 2   water safety instruction for the safety and health of Hawaii's
 3   youth, a group of public and private organizations formed the
 4   "Learn To Swim" Coalition on November 19, 1998, including
 5   representatives from the Department of Education, the
 6   Department of Health, the City and County Ocean of Honolulu
 7   Safety and Lifeguard Services Division, the City and County of
 8   Honolulu Aquatics Section, the YMCA, Kama`aina Kids, Keiki
 9   Injury Prevention Coalition, the American Red Cross, the
10   University of Hawaii, and other dedicated individuals and
11   organizations; now, therefore,
12   
13       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
14   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
15   of 1999, that the "Learn To Swim" Coalition is requested to
16   study:
17   
18       (1)  The level of access to and affordability of swimming
19            and water safety instruction among Hawaii's children
20            and youth; 
21   
22       (2)  If there are enough existing resources in the State to
23            implement a statewide learn-to-swim program; and
24   
25       (3)  What funding would be needed from the State to pay for
26            a statewide learn-to-swim program, including swim and
27            water safety instructors, coordination, and
28            transportation;
29   
30   and
31   
32       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the "Learn To Swim" Coalition
33   is requested to submit a report to the Legislature with its
34   findings and recommendations no later than twenty days prior to
35   the convening of the Regular Session of 2000; and
36   
37       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this
38   Resolution be transmitted to the Learn To Swim Coalition.
39   
40 
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43                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________