Report Title:

Education

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to develop a learn-to-swim program and water safety for 4th grade students in public schools. Requires a swim test of all 4th grade public school students, and allows fees to be collected by the department of education.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

119

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to EDUCATION.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control report that drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death for persons from ages five through forty-four, with a national average of 2,480 drowning deaths annually. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in Hawaii, second only to motor vehicle crashes. Because Hawaii is an island state, it might be expected that its residents would be highly proficient in swimming and water safety skills; the facts indicate otherwise: at least fifty-seven persons drown every year, and more than one thousand persons are rescued from our waters.

A study conducted by the city and county of Honolulu, department of parks and recreation found that four thousand five hundred children, or seventy per cent, out of a test group of six thousand youngsters aged seven to fourteen, were unable to swim fifty yards. In another study of children attending private and public summer fun programs last year, the learn to swim coalition reported that only about one third (655 of 2,027) children aged six to ten years were proficient swimmers. Nearly half (919) could not swim twenty-five yards when tested in the pool. The study also reported significant differences in children's swimming abilities across different parts of the island of Oahu. In order for the children of Hawaii to safely enjoy and appreciate Hawaii's ocean environment, it is essential that they know the fundamentals of water safety, swimming, and drowning prevention.

The purpose of this Act is to provide funding to make basic swimming, drowning prevention, and water safety skills available to all fourth grade public school students.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $189,270 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002 and the sum of $189,270 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 for the development of a water safety and learn-to-swim program for public school students in the fourth grade; provided that:

(1) The department of education may adopt a reasonable schedule of fees in accordance with chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

(2) Students shall be tested for swimming and drown prevention skills as part of this program.

SECTION 3. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.

INTRODUCED BY:

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