Report Title:

High School Athletics

 

Description:

Requires funding for high school athletic programs to be considered standard workload increase items when planning and budgeting for new public schools. Appropriates funds for high school athletic training equipment and supplies.

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

150

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 organized high school athletics programs offer an opportunity for students to experience cooperative and interactive learning, and quality adult mentoring, as well as the opportunity to participate in supervised physical fitness and exercise programs. Participating in sports, however, can sometimes result in injuries. During the 1998-1999 school year, of the seven thousand seven hundred eighty-one student athletes at twenty-one Oahu public schools, six thousand six hundred thirty-three injuries were reported. Although studies show that the benefits derived from high school athletics far outweigh the risk of injury, the legislature finds that not enough is being done to reduce those risks.

With proper training and conditioning to prevent athletic injuries and the prompt attention and care to injuries that do occur, the benefits and rewards of high school athletics will be enhanced and improved. As reported in The Journal of Athletic Training, "when high school athletes have access to qualified athletic trainers and facilities, injury recovery time is rapid and remarkable."

The purpose of this Act is to reduce the risk of injury to high school athletes:

(1) Through preventive training and appropriate injury care by appropriating funds for athletic training equipment and supplies; and

(2) By requiring that funding of athletic programs, including athletic trainers, coaches, equipment and supplies, and transportation of teams be considered standard workload increase items in the planning and budgeting of new schools.

SECTION 2. Chapter 37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part IV to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§37-    Budgeting for new schools. (a) Funding for coaches' salaries, athletic health care trainers' salaries, athletic equipment and supplies, and the transportation of athletic teams may be considered standard workload increase items when planning and budgeting for new public schools.

(b) The director of finance shall consult with the superintendent of education to carry out the purposes of this section."

SECTION 3. Section 37-71, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:

"(e) The proposed budget shall include:

(1) A statement of the percentage differences between the current biennium recommendations and the previous biennium appropriations for education programs. The information shall be displayed by programs or groups of programs, with corresponding amounts and percentage differences. If any component of an education program is added or removed, the governor shall provide an estimate of how the addition or removal affects the current biennium recommendations;

(2) A statement of the difference between the total amount proposed for the current biennium and the total amount expended in the previous biennium for education programs per pupil; and

(3) Other financial statements, information, and data that in the opinion of the governor are necessary or desirable in order to make known in all practical detail the programs, program plans, and financial conditions of the State.

As used in this subsection, the term "education programs" [include] includes instructional, personnel, transportation, facilities, facilities repair and maintenance, and other programs deemed appropriate by the department of education. The term also includes coaches' salaries, athletic health care trainers' salaries, athletic equipment and supplies, and the transportation of athletic teams for new public schools."

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, and the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003, for high school athletic training equipment and supplies.

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

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.

INTRODUCED BY:

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