Bill Text: HI SB2602 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 2602 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Educational Tours; Ethics Code; Direct Travel Expenses

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-05 - The committee on EDU deferred the measure. [SB2602 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-SB2602-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2602
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to educational tours.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that for over thirty years, public school students have been afforded the opportunity to participate in educational tours that enrich their academic experience by making real and tangible the lessons they learn in the classroom. The legislature further finds that for many students, educational tours are the first, and sometimes only, opportunities for interstate travel. More than simply providing an enriching academic experience, such tours also offer students the chance to experience places and cultures that expand their world beyond the every day.

Teachers work on their own time to research, plan, and implement educational tours, including aligning travel destinations and activities to the curriculum and chaperoning students twenty-four hours a day during the trip. To help ensure that teachers are able to continue to provide this enrichment benefit, educational tour companies offer to pay the direct travel expenses of chaperones based upon the number of students who are traveling.

On August 4, 2015, the state ethics commission issued a memorandum stating the state ethics code prohibits employees, including teachers, "from accepting free travel and other benefits from tour companies for serving as chaperones on student educational trips."

The legislature acknowledges that but for teachers taking on the burden, in addition to their official responsibilities, of researching, planning, and implementing educational tours, students would not have this invaluable and enriching opportunity. The legislature finds that expecting teachers to fund direct travel expenses for educational tours for which they are serving as chaperones is unrealistic and ignores the substantial amount of additional work such teachers take upon themselves.

The legislature further finds that rather than being an undue benefit to chaperones, the provision of direct travel expenses by educational tour companies functions as a benefit to students, ensuring that chaperones will have the necessary financial resources to provide these opportunities to students.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to ensure that Hawaii's public school students can continue to receive the academic and cultural benefits of educational tours.

SECTION 2. Chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§84- Educational tours. (a) The planning, procurement, and implementation of educational tours by an employee acting in accordance with the rules or regulations of a state department shall not constitute official action under this part.

(b) Direct travel expenses provided to an employee for an educational tour for which the employee is acting as chaperone shall not be considered a gift under this part.

"Direct travel expenses" means those expenses that are directly related to, and necessary for, planned travel, including but not limited to an educational tour, including airfare, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, travel insurance, admission fees, meals, tips, and gratuities.

"Educational tour" means intra-state, interstate, or international travel for public school students arranged through a for-profit or nonprofit travel agency or tour company designed to enhance student learning and assist students in meeting the Hawaii common core standards."

SECTION 3. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Educational Tours; Ethics Code; Direct Travel Expenses

Description:

Exempts certain aspects of educational tours from the Ethics Code under specified circumstances. Defines "educational tour".

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.