STAND. COM. REP. NO.  517

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 190

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 190 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRUANCY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to help mitigate truancy in the State by requiring the Judiciary to convene a working group to study methods to prevent or control truancy in elementary schools and research and develop guidelines for the establishment of a community truancy board.

 

     The Department of Education and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The Judiciary supported the intent of this measure.  The Hui for Excellence in Education supported this bill with amendments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Superintendent of Education, rather than a senior Family Court Judge appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to convene the working group and placing it within the Department of Education;

 

     (2)  Requiring that representatives from parent groups or community organizations focused on education or family support services be invited to serve on the working group;

 

     (3)  Expanding the focus of guidelines for establishing a community truancy board to include the transition to intermediate or middle school;

 

     (4)  Requiring the working group to review and use current research on truancy to inform guideline development;

 

     (5)  Requiring the working group to consult with the program administrator of the Department of Education Peer Mediation Program; and

 

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 190, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 190, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair