STAND. COM. REP. NO. 845-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 283
                                     H.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
283, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to propose an amendment to the
State Constitution to change the status of the nonvoting public
high school student member on the Board of Education (BOE) to
that of a voting member, except the student member will not be
allowed to vote on personnel matters.

     The Hawaii State Student Council and State Student
Conference, the Roosevelt High School Parent, Teacher, Student
Association, and many students testified in support of this
measure.  The BOE opposed passage of this bill.

     During the public hearing, several points were raised that
concerned your Committee:

     (1)  Liability: If the BOE were sued, the voting student
          member or the member's parents could be subject to
          litigation;

     (2)  Vulnerability:  The voting student member may be
          exposed to the pressures and influences of the public
          and other interested parties;  


 
 
 
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     (3)  Maturity:  The voting student member may be as young as
          a freshman and may not have the maturity and life
          experience necessary to vote on some BOE issues; and

     (4)  Continuity:  If the voting student member has only one
          or two years remaining in the member's secondary school
          career, this would not ensure continuity and may hinder
          in carrying out a particular agenda.

     Your Committee has amended this bill to correct technical
drafting errors.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
283, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 283, H.D. 2.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair