Report Title:

Hawaii State Student Council; Established

 

Description:

Establishes the Hawaii state student council, with student representatives from each departmental school district; requires the council to conduct an annual conference of secondary students; and requires the council to determine whether to select the student member of the BOE or to run an election to select the individual. (SD1)

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

670

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE STUDENT COUNCIL.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Hawaii state student council has been functioning for many years. However, although the council is mentioned in the state constitution, it has never been formally established in statute. In establishing the council statutorily, this Act continues the operations of the existing council and requires it to:

(1) Determine its composition and governance policies;

(2) Select or run an election for the student member of the board of education; and

(3) Conduct an annual conference of secondary students.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-   Hawaii state student council. (a) There is established within the department for administrative purposes the Hawaii state student council, which shall consist of representation from each departmental school district.

(b) The council shall conduct an annual conference of secondary school students pursuant to section 302A-  .

(c) The council shall determine whether it will directly select the student member of the board or whether it will run an election to select that individual.

(d) The council shall establish policies and procedures governing its operations, including the selection and number of council members, subject to the open meeting requirements of chapter 92.

§302A-   Annual student conference. (a) The Hawaii state student council shall provide for an annual conference of secondary school students, or those in grades seven to twelve, to enable them to identify, discuss, and arrive at recommended solutions to major youth problems, with emphasis on school problems that require the attention of and joint action by the students, the department, the board, and the legislature. Alternately, the conference topic may be the governance of the council itself.

(b) The format of the annual student conference shall be a statewide meeting or an array of district meetings, as determined by the Hawaii state student council.

(c) The annual student conference shall be held once each school year and shall not exceed three consecutive days. Whenever possible, the annual student conference shall be held within sixty days of the convening of a regular session of the legislature.

(d) The Hawaii state student council shall appoint a conference committee composed of at least one student from each departmental school district. The Hawaii state student council may also appoint students from schools represented by the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.

(e) The Hawaii state student council, through the conference committee, shall:

(1) Plan and coordinate the annual student conference;

(2) Determine the theme, scope, and format of the conference;

(3) Determine the agenda of the conference;

(4) Determine the number of participants of the conference, subject to the availability of funds;

(5) Plan and provide for food, lodging, and transportation for all participants of the conference;

(6) Evaluate the conference; and

(7) Consider and act on any matter relevant to or necessary to effectuate the purpose of this section.

(f) The evaluation of the conference shall include a description of conference proceedings and recommendations for action by the board, the department, or the legislature. The department shall transmit copies of the evaluation to the governor, the legislature, and the board no later than sixty days after the conclusion of the conference."

SECTION 3. Chapter 317, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on December 28, 2050.