Report Title:

Public Access; Student Legislative Participation Pilot Project

Description:

Appropriates $        for fiscal year 2003-2004 to the legislative reference bureau for the student legislative participation pilot project to encourage students to participate in the legislative process. (SB1489 SD2)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1489

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO PUBLIC ACCESS.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that our democratic process is based upon citizen participation, and the founders of our nation agreed that democracy could only be maintained through an educated and informed citizenry. The legislature further finds that public-private partnerships, such as Kids' Voting Hawaii, educate Hawaii school children about the electoral process and instill in them a sense of civic responsibility that hopefully will carry forward into adulthood. The legislature further believes that it is imperative to encourage and support similar public-private partnerships that will educate Hawaii's youngest citizens about state government and the state legislative process.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for a student legislative participation pilot project that will expand the range of student participation in the legislature through the use of on-line discussions, video-conferencing, and other electronic technology and other technology-based means.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established within the legislature, the student legislative participation pilot project for the purpose of expanding the range of student participation in the legislature through the use of on-line discussions, video-conferencing, and other electronic technology and other technology-based means.

(b) The project shall be planned and coordinated by a steering committee appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives no later than August 1, 2003, and comprised of representatives from: the Hawaii state student council; the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools; student conference leaders; and representatives of other interested organizations.

(c) The project shall accommodate a maximum of two hundred fifty students from schools statewide; provided that the number of participants may be increased if additional private funding is secured. The steering committee may develop an application process and criteria for selection of participants. The project may encourage schools and organizations, such as the YMCA and YWCA, to solicit private funds to enable more students to participate in the project.

(d) The steering committee shall develop specific program requirements and a timetable, within the following general guidelines:

(1) The project may utilize the existing organizational structure for the annual student conference, including student planning meetings starting in September 2003, a statewide student conference in December, and activities to follow up on conference recommendations and other issues during the legislative session;

(2) During the legislative session, participants would select specific legislation to track and support for the purposes of learning the legislative process and enrolling other students to get involved in the legislative process, and participate in activities, such as training classes, presentations by legislators; and

(3) To the extent possible, the use of technology-based approaches shall be incorporated to facilitate the active involvement of all interested parties in the project.

(e) The legislative reference bureau shall provide staff and administrative support for the student legislative participation pilot project and steering committee, and shall submit a progress report detailing the activities and evaluating the results of the student legislative participation pilot project not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2004 regular session and a final report not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2005 regular session.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, for the student legislative participation pilot project to increase the involvement of Hawaii students in the legislative process.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the legislative reference bureau for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.