THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	208
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO AUTHORIZE AN E-SPORTS PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.

 

 

        WHEREAS, electronic sports, more commonly known as e   sports, are video game competitions, often in organized, multiplayer video games, among professional players who compete individually or as teams; and

 

        WHEREAS, the e-sports industry is projected to produce more than $1,000,000,000 in global revenue each year, with video game companies being a major driver of jobs in the United States and generating more revenue than the music and film industries combined; and

 

        WHEREAS, nearly seventy percent of all Americans play video games, and more than one hundred colleges in North America have started scholarship-based e   sports programs that foster and develop innovative educational and work opportunities, sportsmanship, discipline, dedication, and awareness and education to avoid unhealthy gaming habits; and

 

        WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii has been asked to partner with other Pacific Rim universities in South Korea and China, as well as other jurisdictions in the United States that are doing cutting-edge e-sports research; and

 

        WHEREAS, a University of Hawaii e-sports program could promote career development, research, and competition amongst other universities; and

 

        WHEREAS, the support of high school e-sports in Hawaii could aid in creating a path for students to attend college through networking, scholarships, and mentorship; and

 

        WHEREAS, high school e-sports have been resilient with keeping tournaments on schedule through 2020, during a time

when the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to the suspension and cancellation of traditional sporting events around the country; and

        WHEREAS, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, e   sports offer a safe alternative to other forms of competition, which often involve direct contact between players, or which put players in close proximity; and

 

        WHEREAS, a school-based e-sports program in the State's public high schools could promote competition and school pride amongst students; and

 

        WHEREAS, the support of high school e-sports could inspire student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) topics at a young age; and

 

        WHEREAS, high school e-sports, along with the development and support of college e-sports at the University of Hawaii

and Hawaii Pacific University, could lead to new ways of diversifying the State's economy for the future; and

 

        WHEREAS, the overall promotion of e-sports in education could put Hawaii at the cutting edge of digital youth culture, which may attract interests from video game publishers and developers for further investments in the State in this burgeoning area; and

 

        WHEREAS, in 2019 the Legislature previously adopted House Resolution 216 House Draft 1, Senate Draft 1, which expressed support of the University of Hawaii's development of a comprehensive e-sports program designed to promote students' passion for video games through competition and social interactions, foster personal growth and academic research, and educate and prepare students for opportunities in the video game industry; now, therefore,

 

        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, that the Board of Education is requested to authorize an e   sports program for public high schools in the State; and

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, and Executive Director of the State Public Charter School Commission.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:  

BOE; Education; Public Schools; E-sports; Games; Authorization