STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3242

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 65

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 65 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REPORT ON HOW MUCH FUNDING IS REQUIRED FOR ON-CAMPUS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the Honolulu Police Department report on the costs of funding on‑campus school resource officers, including but not limited to manpower, number of officers necessary, and any other costs required for officers to be stationed in intermediate and high schools on the island of Oahu, and provide a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the ACLU of Hawai‘i and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that there has been a disturbing increase in school violence across the nation in recent years. Your Committees further find that in an attempt to better secure and protect schools, some states have been stationing local law enforcement officers, known as school resource officers, in schools. School resource officers are well-trained officers who are skilled in handling armed weaponry and specifically stationed in schools to prevent any crime or gang related activity and address any issue that could threaten the safety of the students and faculty. Your Committees further find that over the years federal funding to maintain school resource officers has been depleted. Despite this depletion in federal funds, your Committees find that schools in the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui have maintained school resource officers in certain schools. Your Committees find that it is important that schools on Oahu determine the resources necessary to similarly provide school resource officers in Oahu schools.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 65 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Education,

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair