STAND. COM. REP. NO.  87-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

RE:   H.B. No. 133

      H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 133 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage students who are victims of abuse or neglect to seek help and to inform them of available resources by requiring public schools and charter schools to post signs containing the Department of Human Services Child Abuse or Neglect Reporting Hotline in each school in a conspicuous location in a public area that is readily accessible to students.

The Department of Human Services, Department of Education, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and three individuals testified in support of this measure.  One individual testified in opposition.

     Your Committee notes that various sizes of signs, including small signs, may be similarly effective to disseminating the hotline information; that school counselors may be better sources of contact for students than a Department of Human Services hotline; and that twenty-seven other states have adopted similar laws.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the posting of a sign containing the Child Abuse or Neglect Hotline from a mandatory requirement to a permissive act; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to promote further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 133, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 133, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair