Report Title:

DOE; JROTC; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to create two instructor positions for the Navy JROTC program at Kapolei high school.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

757

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to the junior reserve officers' training corps.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the United States Congress established the junior reserve officers' training corps program in 1916 with the broad mandate to teach young people the values of citizenship, community service, and personal responsibility.  Junior reserve officers' training corps programs, which are organized throughout the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, are taught as elective courses at more than three thousand high schools nationwide. Junior reserve officers' training corps courses are led by retired military personnel who motivate young people to be better citizens by preparing them for responsible leadership roles while making them aware of their rights, responsibilities, and privileges as citizens.  Unlike college-level reserve officers' training corps programs, junior reserve officers' training corps programs at the high school level do not obligate participating students to join the military.

     A recent study conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a private, nonpartisan, policy-research institute, found that junior reserve officers' training corps programs strengthen our youth, communities, and nation by nurturing individualism in the service of a common cause.  junior reserve officers' training corps programs develop skills in self-discipline, teamwork, motivation, and confidence in young people, all of which act to decrease school-related disciplinary problems for many participating students.  Junior reserve officers' training corps programs do not promote militaristic anti-individualism.

     While highly-touted demonstration projects and pilot programs geared toward youth development come and go with regrettable regularity, the junior reserve officers' training corps program remains the oldest and largest time-tested public enterprise engaged in positive and successful youth development. 

     Kapolei high school is interested in establishing a junior reserve officers' training corps program so that its students can benefit from all the positive things such a program can offer.  As a general matter, schools are required to have two instructors in order to establish a junior reserve officers' training corps program.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for two instructor positions for the United States Navy junior reserve officers' training corps program at Kapolei high school.

     SECTION 2.  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 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 to establish and hire two instructor positions for the United States Navy junior reserve officers' training corps program at Kapolei high school.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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