SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 2418

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                 Education, February 24, 2000

Title:  An act relating to a World War II oral history project.

Brief Description:  Establishing a World War II oral history project.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Woods, Conway, Talcott, D. Schmidt, Koster, Bush, Wensman, Carlson, Rockefeller, Kenney, Cody, Barlean, Schoesler, Sump, Cairnes, Thomas, Huff, Haigh, Mastin, McDonald, Lantz, Santos, Skinner, Ogden and McIntire).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  2/17/2000, 2/24/2000 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Eide, Vice Chair; Brown, Goings, Hochstatter, Kohl-Welles and Rasmussen.

Staff:  Vanessa Power (786-7448)

Background:  Approximately 250,000 Washington citizens served in the armed forces during World War II, and almost 6,000 lost their lives.  Currently, teaching the history of World War II in Washington schools varies by school district based on course books purchased at the local level.  But the Essential Academic Learning Requirements for history include analyzing the historical development of events, people, places, and patterns of life in the world, United States, and Washington State history.

Summary of Amended Bill:  The World War II Oral History Project is established to assist the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in the development of a K-12 curriculum.  Through audiotapes, videotapes, films, stories, printed transcripts, and other methods, the project preserves the memories and history of Washington citizens who served in the armed forces or made community contributions during World War II.

An advisory committee including representatives from the World War II Memorial Education Foundation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of State's Office, and interested legislators, assists OSPI in the design and implementation of the project.

Beginning December 1, 2000, OSPI must provide annual reports to the Governor and the Legislature.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The bill is amended to make the oral history project conditional on the appropriation or donation of funds.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Children need to understand the causes of war in order to prevent it.  The people who served and sacrificed during World War II contributed to our present way of life.  This bill will preserve through firsthand accounts the historic events of World War II for the education of Washington's children.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Representative Beverly Woods, prime sponsor; Bill Merifield, Wally Hoffman, Washington State World War II Memorial Educational Foundation.