STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3031

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1787

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1787, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to create and appropriate funds for the Erin's Law Task Force to review policies, programs, and curricula for educating public school students about sexual abuse prevention, and to make report recommendations for the establishment of a program to educate students on sexual abuse prevention through age appropriate curricula.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Executive Office on Early Learning, State Public Charter School Commission, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Children's Action Network, IMUAlliance, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, UNITE Hawaii, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, and three individuals.

     Your Committee finds that sexual abuse is a serious and ongoing threat to the safety, health, and well-being of children and young people in the State.  Schools are the primary institution outside of the family in which children have constant contact with adults, teachers, and school personnel that are uniquely situated to responsibly educate children about the prevention and reporting of sex abuse, as well as helping at-risk children.

     Although sex abuse training and curricula approved by the Department of Education exists in Hawaii, it is not implemented in a consistent manner.  The Erin's Law Task Force will provide much-needed guidance in preparing teachers and school personnel to educate and protect Hawaii's children.  Your Committee notes that sex trafficking is a matter of serious concern for Hawaii's students, and that it should be included in the consideration of the Task Force.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing from the Task Force the member of the Senate and the member of the House of Representatives;

     (2)  Adding the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education or the Chairperson's designee to the Task Force;

     (3)  Adding the Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Education or the Chairperson's designee to the Task Force;

     (4)  Adding a representative of Planned Parenthood to the Task Force;

     (5)  Naming the Superintendent or Superintendent's designee as the chair of the Task Force;

     (6)  Adding sex trafficking prevention to the concepts under consideration by the Task Force;

     (7)  Changing the expending agency for the appropriation to the Department of Education; and

     (8)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1787, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1787, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair