STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1898

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   S.C.R. No. 105

      S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 105, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES TO ENCOURAGE THEIR PARENT CLIENTS TO TURN ON CLOSED CAPTIONING WHEN THEIR CHILDREN WATCH TELEVISION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge public and private agencies to encourage their parent clients to turn on closed captioning when their children watch television.

 

     The Department of Education submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.  A concerned individual testified in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that two-thirds of infants, toddlers, and children under the age of six spend an average of two hours watching television a day, while teenagers aged seven to eighteen years of age spend an average of four hours watching television each day.  Further, your Committee also finds that captions help children establish a systematic link between the written word and the spoken word.  By turning on captions while children are watching television, we are thereby encouraging our children to read more.

 

     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. 105, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair