Hawaii House Bill HCR90

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/7/24
• Refer: 3/13/24

Caption

Requesting The Department Of Education To Make Available Recreational Facilities To The Public During Non-peak Hours And Non-school Days.

Impact

By advocating for expanded access to public school recreational facilities, HCR90 seeks to mitigate barriers faced by individuals, particularly from low-income communities and rural areas, in participating in physical activities. The resolution highlights that certain demographic groups are disproportionately affected by a lack of accessible recreational services, reflecting broader issues of income inequality within the state. Hence, this action is aligned with a governmental objective of enhancing community health and well-being through improved access to such facilities.

Summary

HCR90 is a House Concurrent Resolution put forth during the 2024 Regular Session of the Thirty-Second Legislature of Hawaii, which requests the Department of Education to make available recreational facilities for public use during non-peak hours and on non-school days. This initiative aims to address the inequitable access individuals face in accessing public recreational amenities, which is a pressing concern as data indicates that significant portions of the population do not live within walkable distances to such facilities. Furthermore, many residents desire government action to ensure equitable access to parks and recreation.

Contention

The resolution underlines the existing legal framework requiring schools to permit public use of their facilities while imposing certain conditions, such as ensuring these activities do not interfere with school operations. While the intention is to expand access, there may be concerns regarding how this could affect school schedules and the availability of these facilities for academic and extracurricular programs. The implementation also raises questions around management and maintenance of these facilities, which could be subjects of debate among community members and policymakers.