STAND. COM. REP. NO. 125

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 360

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Education and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 360 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to allow children who are home schooled to participate in extracurricular activities at the public school they would otherwise be required to attend.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one state agency and seventeen home school students and parents.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee has heard compelling testimony on the importance of extracurricular activities for home school students, from the students themselves.  While younger students often have community programs available, particularly for sports, by the time the students are high school age, the options are much more limited.  Many of the students who testified spoke of personal talents and skills that would be a valuable asset for any organized activity, and the frustration they face when they are not able to find a place to develop those talents and skills.

 

     Your Committee believes that this measure would be a win-win for home school students as well as the public schools, and is in strong support of its passage.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 360 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education and Housing,

 

 

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair