STAND. COM. REP. 213

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 313

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 313 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE X, SECTION 2, OF THE HAWAII CONSTITUTION, TO ALLOW THE STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO VOTE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to propose amendments to the State Constitution allowing the student member of the Board of Education (BOE) to vote on all issues before BOE except for personnel or fiscal matters.

BOE and numerous individuals submitted testimony in support of this bill. The Hawaii State Teachers Association submitted testimony in opposition to this bill.

Your Committee finds that the student member of BOE, who is selected through a very rigorous process, has consistently proven to be a reliable, conscientious, and valuable member of BOE. This is illustrated by BOE's growing acceptance of this proposed amendment in recent years, as witnessed by BOE that the student member is fully capable of acting as a full-fledged BOE member. Other legal concerns relating to allowing a minor to act in a voting capacity have been allayed by the Attorney General, and there is no reason that the student member of BOE should not be given voting privileges.

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. 313 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair