STAND. COM. REP. NO.  269

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 12

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 12 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to allow student or class participation in a charitable fundraiser or activity that is exempt from federal taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1988, as amended, if the activity is a part of a school project that benefits student learning.

 

     The Department of Education and IMUAlliance testified in support of this measure.  Common Cause Hawaii testified in opposition to this measure.  The Hawaii State Ethics Commission provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that, in allowing class and school participation in charitable activities, the Department of Education shall take steps to prevent:

 

          (A)  The preferential treatment or selection of specific charities; and

 

          (B)  Coercive or undue influence by Department of Education personnel aimed at spurring student or family participation in school or class-based charitable activities against their will; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 12, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 12, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair