STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2228

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2451
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Government Operations and Housing, to
which was referred S.B. No. 2451 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

    The purpose of this measure is to protect the educational rights
of individuals with disabilities.  

    This measure requires public contracts with publishers and
manufacturers of instructional materials to include a provision
requiring provision of instructional materials in electronic format
if the material is made available to any other state or upon request
by the Department of Education or the University of Hawaii.

    Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Department of Education, Easter Seals, and the Assistive Technology
Resource Center of Hawaii.  Testimony in opposition of this measure
was received from the University of Hawaii.  Recommendations and
comments were received from the Disability and Communication Access
Board.

    Your Committee agrees with the testimony of the University of
Hawaii and has amended this measure to apply only to the Department
of Education in order to allow the University additional time to
consult with local publishers and study the progress of the
California state educational system with respect to similar
legislation.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2228
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    As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Government Operations and Housing that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2451, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2451, S.D. 1,
and be referred to the Committee on Education and Technology.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Government
                                   Operations and Housing,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ROD TAM, Chair

 
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