Bill > SB178

This bill seeks to appropriate $2,000,000 to the Hawaii Department of Education to support the establishment of surfing as an official interscholastic high school sport, recognizing surfing's significant cultural and economic importance to the state. The legislature finds that while surfing was approved as a high school sport in 2016, only one of five local athletic leagues currently sponsors it, which limits opportunities for students interested in competitive surfing. The bill highlights surfing's economic impact, referencing a 2010 event on Oahu's north shore that generated nearly $21 million in spending, and argues that investing in school surfing programs will help perpetuate the sport and continue attracting tourists to Hawaii. The funds will be allocated for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, with the money to be directly expended by the Department of Education to develop and support interscholastic surfing programs. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and aims to provide more structured opportunities for students to engage with surfing as a competitive sport while honoring Hawaii's deep cultural connection to the activity.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=178&year=2026