STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1338

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.C.R. No. 95

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 95 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING KOKUA COUNCIL TO CONVENE THE 2005 MODEL LEGISLATURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Kokua Council to convene the 2005 Model Legislature.

The Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, Kokua Council, Moiliili Community Center, Association of American Retired People (AARP-Hawaii Chapter), National Association of Social Workers-Hawaii Chapter, Silver Legislature, and an individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.

In 1993 and again in 1994, the Elderly Affairs Division of the Department of Community Services of the City and County of Honolulu organized the Oahu Silver Legislature at the State Capitol, a two-day mock legislature designed to offer adults over fifty-five years old a lively, stimulating, experiential opportunity to learn about the law-making process. The Kokua Council has received a grant to convene another mock legislature in 2005, named Model Legislature. The purpose of the 2005 Model Legislature is to identify, train, and motivate a cadre of at least one hundred new legislative advocates to participate in the 2005 and 2006 Regular Sessions. The Model Legislature will give senior citizens an excellent opportunity to learn and practice the skills of identifying important legislative issues, debating the merits of the issues, and participating in the legislative process as the measures are being acted upon by the legislative members.

Kokua Council and its partners expect that this process will benefit everyone -- families, professionals, the public at-large, and policy makers -- concerned with senior issues and will provide learning opportunities for Hawaii's older adults to develop their leadership and citizen participation skills.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 95 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair