STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1537

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.R. No. 179
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

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

     "HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL
     DELEGATION TO OBTAIN INCREASED FEDERAL FUNDING FOR
     FEDERALLY-MANDATED SPECIAL EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to request Hawaii's
Congressional Delegation to obtain increased federal funding for
federally-mandated special education.

     Testimony in support of this resolution was submitted by the
Department of Education and the State Planning Council on
Developmental Disabilities.

     Your Committee agrees with the U.S. Congress and supports
the fundamental democratic principle that all children, including
those with disabilities, have a right to free and appropriate
public education.  In recent years funding for special education
for disabled children has increased dramatically.  The federal
government and state governments should proceed in partnership to
ensure sufficient funding so that appropriate services are
provided to this population.

     Your Committee has amended the resolution by:

     (1)  Citing the large increase in the costs of special
          education in Hawaii in recent years;


 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1537
                                 Page 2

 
     (2)  Citing the relatively small increase in federal funding
          for special education during that same period; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive revisions for style
          and clarity.

     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.R. No. 179, as
amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the
Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 179,
H.D. 1.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair