Bill Text: HI SB2441 | 2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Youth; After-school Programs; Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture, and Health Program; Appropriation ($)
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-03-14 - Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on EDN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Creagan, Say, Tokioka, Yamashita excused (4). [SB2441 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2014-SB2441-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2441 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014 |
S.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO YOUTH.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in the United States more than one-fourth of all children, or fifteen million, are left alone and unsupervised after school. Thirty per cent of middle school students, or nearly four million, are left unsupervised until their parents return home from work.
The legislature further finds that juvenile violence peaks in the after-school hours on school days and in the evenings on non-school days. Sixty-three per cent of violent crimes committed by juveniles occur on school days, while nearly one-fifth of all juvenile violent crimes occur between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. During fiscal year 2013, police in Hawaii made almost two thousand arrests of juveniles between the ages of twelve and fourteen.
The legislature finds that according to the superintendent of education's annual report of 2011, Hawaii's school dropout rate has reached over sixteen per cent, with a graduation rate of only approximately eighty per cent. Nearly half of the high school dropouts reported that they started high school ill-prepared.
The legislature further finds that research indicates that each disconnected youth costs taxpayers nearly $14,000 per year. This amount can continue and even increase as some disenfranchised youth come into contact with the juvenile justice system. The stakes of youth disengagement are high. Once students are disconnected, recruitment, enrollment, and retention programs require stronger and more persistent outreach, more intensive services, and more long-term participation.
Middle and intermediate school years are a pivotal time for keiki, a time when they can succumb to peer pressure and significantly derail their education and futures. Accordingly, participation in high-quality after-school programs can lead to improved school attendance, better behavior, and better academic performance. Keeping our keiki engaged in positive after-school activities will help keep them on the path toward graduation and productive futures.
Currently, there are approximately thirty-nine thousand middle and intermediate public school students in Hawaii. Approximately half of the roughly fifty-one middle and intermediate schools in the State receive some federal or state funding for after-school programing; however, the funding is inconsistent or unreliable.
The legislature finds that in March 2013, the lieutenant governor established the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health initiative to develop a standardized framework and funding for after-school programs for public middle and intermediate school students throughout the State. The establishment of a state-subsidized after-school program for middle and intermediate public school students is important to the future of keiki and the welfare of our State as a whole.
The legislature further finds that the office of youth services, within the department of human services, provides comprehensive front-end services and programs for youth to prevent delinquency and reduce the incidence of recidivism. The office is dedicated to creating opportunities for youth to develop competencies that foster resiliency and enable them to achieve a successful transition to young adulthood. The legislature determines that the objectives of the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health initiative are wholly aligned with those of the office of youth services.
The purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Statutorily establish the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program within the office of youth services to provide a standardized framework and funding for after-school programs in public middle and intermediate schools;
(2) Establish a revolving fund to receive fees and other moneys to supplement the costs of administering and operating the program;
(3) Appropriate funds for establishing the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program to provide funding for after-school programs in middle and intermediate public schools; and
(4) Establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position to support the program and appropriate funds for that position.
SECTION 2. Chapter 352D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding three new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§352D-A Resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program; established. There is established the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program within the office.
§352D-B Resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program; powers and duties of the office. (a) The office shall provide funding to establish, support, or enhance after-school programs in public middle and intermediate schools. The office may enter into contracts with middle and intermediate schools, individuals, organizations, or other entities to provide after-school programs to public middle and intermediate schools.
(b) The office shall:
(1) Establish criteria and application, selection, and award processes for funding after-school programs;
(2) Monitor the after-school programs within each school;
(3) Conduct site evaluations for schools with after-school programs funded under the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program; and
(4) Ensure each after-school program meets contractual expectations.
(c) The office may establish participation fees and other charges to be assessed to each student for the cost of administering and operating the program. The revenues shall be deposited into the revolving fund established pursuant to section 352D-C and shall be used to supplement the costs of administering and operating the program.
§352D-C Resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program revolving fund. (a) There is established the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program revolving fund to be administered by the office.
(b) The revolving fund shall consist of:
(1) Fees collected by the office for administering and operating the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program, and for the provision of program services;
(2) Legislative appropriations;
(3) All interest earned on the deposit or investment of moneys in the revolving fund; and
(4) Any other moneys made available to the revolving fund from any other sources.
(c) Moneys in the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program revolving fund shall be used to supplement the costs of administering and operating after-school programs in middle and intermediate public schools. The office may also use the money to:
(1) Hire personnel to implement, operate, and oversee the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program;
(2) Promote after-school program activities;
(3) Conduct after-school enrichment activities related to the program;
(4) Contract for services for after-school programs; and
(5) Fund associated expenses for after-school programs."
SECTION 3. 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 2014-2015 to be deposited into the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program revolving fund.
SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program revolving fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 to carry out the purpose of this Act, including the establishment and operation of the resources for enrichment, athletics, culture, and health program and hiring of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position for the office of youth services.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 5. In codifying the new sections added by section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.
SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Youth; After-school Programs; Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture, and Health Program; Appropriation
Description:
Establishes the Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture, and Health Program in the Office of Youth Services. Establishes a revolving fund for the administration and operation of the program. Establishes one full-time equivalent position. Makes appropriation. Effective July 1, 2050. (SB2441 HD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
