Bill Text: HI HCR51 | 2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Requesting The Department Of Education To Prioritize Funding For Air Conditioning In Schools On Hawaii Island That Are Regularly Affected By Vog.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-04-29 - Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 938). [HCR51 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2022-HCR51-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
51 |
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THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PRIORITIZE FUNDING FOR AIR CONDITIONING IN SCHOOLS ON HAWAII ISLAND THAT ARE REGULARLY AFFECTED BY VOG.
WHEREAS, volcanic eruptions occur on Hawaii island and can affect all parts of the State, but prevailing wind patterns typically push vog emissions westward, where they typically accumulate over North and South Kona and Kau; and
WHEREAS, depending on the level of volcanic activity, vog can affect air quality to the point where it poses significant health risks, including irritating the skin, eyes, nose, and throat and penetrating airways and the lungs, which can trigger respiratory distress and induce asthma symptoms; and
WHEREAS, studies about the effects of vog on residents of Hawaii island show correlations between vog exposure and increased rates of high blood pressure, acute bronchitis, acute airway problems, asthma exacerbations, and respiratory illness; and
WHEREAS, children are generally more sensitive to vog than adults because children have higher respiratory rates than adults, meaning they take more breaths per minute; and
WHEREAS, when vog levels are high, the public health recommendations to reduce exposure include staying indoors with the windows closed, using an air filter, and avoiding outdoor activities that cause heavy breathing; however, in schools without air conditioning, it can be very difficult to follow these recommendations and retain a healthy learning environment at the same time; and
WHEREAS, hot temperatures negatively impact the ability of students to learn, and West Hawaii island, in particular the Kona area, consistently report some of the hottest temperatures in the State; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii's overheated classrooms can cause students to suffer headaches, nausea, heat rashes, heat exhaustion, and, in severe cases, heat stroke; and
WHEREAS, studies show that the achievement gap between cooled and non-cooled classroom environments can reach seventeen percent on standardized tests; and
WHEREAS, experiments in renewable energy cooling systems have lowered departmental projections for comprehensive air conditioning installation and classroom cooling; and
WHEREAS, using available energy efficient technology, including on-grid, off-grid, microgrid, and photovoltaic technology, should reduce the cost of air conditioning installation to approximately $6,000 to $8,000 per classroom; and
WHEREAS, the installation of air conditioning units in Hawaii island classrooms in areas where air quality data shows people regularly experience poor air quality and respiratory issues related to vog will create safer, more comfortable, and more effective learning environments that would better protect students from vog; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to prioritize funding for air conditioning in schools on Hawaii island that are regularly affected by vog; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to Chairperson of the Board of Education and Interim Superintendent of Education.
Department of Education; Vog; Air Conditioning; West Hawaii Island; Schools
