CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.105

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 1391

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1391, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ARTS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Require the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts (Foundation) to convene the Hawaii Arts Education Partners (Partners) to implement the Hawaii Arts Education Strategic Plan (Plan);

(2) Require the Foundation's annual report to include the efforts of the Partners to implement the Plan;

(3) Appropriate funds for eight state arts resource teacher positions within the Department of Education; and

(4) Appropriate funds for staff development specifically related to the implementation of the Plan.

Your Committee on Conference finds that arts education is integral to a comprehensive school curriculum. Students who are instructed in the arts not only experience the satisfaction of participating in music, dance, drama, and visual arts, but also perform better in "academic" subjects. The arts also broaden students' understanding of other cultures and their connection to many different peoples and places.

Furthermore, arts education is required as part of the State Content and Performance Standards for all of these reasons. Your Committee on Conference fully supports this bill, which makes significant strides to develop and support arts education in Hawaii.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1) Increasing the number of state resource teachers from 8 to at least 12;

(2) Clarifying the appropriation for state resource teachers to $400,000 for each year of fiscal biennium 2001-2003;

(3) Deleting the appropriation for staff development relating to the implementation of the Plan; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1391, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1391, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

____________________________

KEN ITO, Co-Chair

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

____________________________

BERTHA C. KAWAKAMI, Co-Chair