Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii House Bill HB258 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 258 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to School sports. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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3	3	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 258
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
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7	7	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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9	9	H.B. NO.
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13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
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17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
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31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
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37	37	relating to School sports.
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43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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47	47	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the healthy development of the State's keiki is a top priority. Youth sports play a huge role in the social and physical development of many keiki in Hawaii. Every weekend there are many different sports leagues taking part in every area of the State. These leagues are more than just about keiki having fun, but they provide students with the opportunity to find a sense of community and identity. The life skills and relationships built through team sports provide students with structure and leadership that discourage mischievous activities. The legislature further finds a dire need to create a supplemental sports program to accommodate the growing number of high school students in West Oahu. There has been an increase in the enrollment in West Oahu public schools with the population shift over the last decade which has resulted in a swelling of the populations in West Oahu. With larger enrollments, more students are getting cut from high school sports teams. Students in schools with higher enrollment should have an equal opportunity to participate in sports and earn college athletic scholarships. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to implement a supplemental sports program for high school students in West Oahu. SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "§302A- Supplemental sports program. (a) There is created under the department of education a supplemental sports program for high school students in west Oahu, an area which encompasses Waipahu through Makaua and through the south shore communities of Iroquois Point through Kapolei. (b) The supplemental sports program shall be available to any student attending any high school in west Oahu, without regard to whether the high school is public, private, charter, or home school. (c) The department of education shall implement the supplemental sports program at each public high school in west Oahu with more than two thousand five hundred students. The department shall designate one personnel at each such school to coordinate the program, including but not limited to ensuring the availability of school facilities for program events. (d) The department shall inform all students of the option to participate in the supplemental sports program. Composition of the program teams shall be based on the number of participants and not be limited by the participants' school of enrollment. (e) The supplemental sports program shall be authorized to use existing school facilities in west Oahu. The existing athletic programs shall make a good-faith effort to make the facilities available for the program. (f) Sports to be included in the supplemental sports program include but are not limited to football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, tennis, swimming, water polo, cross country, softball, and track & field. (g) The supplemental sports program shall have teams divided by biological gender for each sport. (h) The department shall adopt rules under chapter 91 to carry out the purposes of this section." SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 4. 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 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to establish two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions to implement the program. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
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49	49	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the healthy development of the State's keiki is a top priority. Youth sports play a huge role in the social and physical development of many keiki in Hawaii. Every weekend there are many different sports leagues taking part in every area of the State. These leagues are more than just about keiki having fun, but they provide students with the opportunity to find a sense of community and identity. The life skills and relationships built through team sports provide students with structure and leadership that discourage mischievous activities.
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51	51	The legislature further finds a dire need to create a supplemental sports program to accommodate the growing number of high school students in West Oahu. There has been an increase in the enrollment in West Oahu public schools with the population shift over the last decade which has resulted in a swelling of the populations in West Oahu. With larger enrollments, more students are getting cut from high school sports teams. Students in schools with higher enrollment should have an equal opportunity to participate in sports and earn college athletic scholarships. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to implement a supplemental sports program for high school students in West Oahu.
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53	53	SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
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55	55	"§302A- Supplemental sports program. (a) There is created under the department of education a supplemental sports program for high school students in west Oahu, an area which encompasses Waipahu through Makaua and through the south shore communities of Iroquois Point through Kapolei.
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57	57	(b) The supplemental sports program shall be available to any student attending any high school in west Oahu, without regard to whether the high school is public, private, charter, or home school.
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59	59	(c) The department of education shall implement the supplemental sports program at each public high school in west Oahu with more than two thousand five hundred students. The department shall designate one personnel at each such school to coordinate the program, including but not limited to ensuring the availability of school facilities for program events.
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61	61	(d) The department shall inform all students of the option to participate in the supplemental sports program. Composition of the program teams shall be based on the number of participants and not be limited by the participants' school of enrollment.
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63	63	(e) The supplemental sports program shall be authorized to use existing school facilities in west Oahu. The existing athletic programs shall make a good-faith effort to make the facilities available for the program.
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65	65	(f) Sports to be included in the supplemental sports program include but are not limited to football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, tennis, swimming, water polo, cross country, softball, and track & field.
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67	67	(g) The supplemental sports program shall have teams divided by biological gender for each sport.
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69	69	(h) The department shall adopt rules under chapter 91 to carry out the purposes of this section."
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71	71	SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
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73	73	SECTION 4. 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 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to establish two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions to implement the program.
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75	75	The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.
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77	77	SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
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81	81	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
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83	83	INTRODUCED BY:
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85	85	_____________________________
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91	91	Report Title: DOE; School Sports; Supplemental Sports Program; West Oahu Description: Requires the Department of Education to implement a supplemental sports program for high school students in West Oahu. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
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97	97	Report Title:
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99	99	DOE; School Sports; Supplemental Sports Program; West Oahu
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105	105	Description:
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107	107	Requires the Department of Education to implement a supplemental sports program for high school students in West Oahu.
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115	115	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.