STAND. COM. REP. NO. 594-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2483

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2483, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BULLYING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require all entities that provide educational or recreational activities to youth to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures on bullying and related behaviors, and provide staff with appropriate annual training, regardless of whether the entity receives any government funding.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Department of Human Services, Rainbow Family 808, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Pride at Work-Hawaii, Filipina Advocacy Network, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Youth Services Network and Cycle on Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that youth participating in educational and recreational activities have the right to be free from bullying, and that bullying, and the related problems of harassment and retaliation, inhibit a young person's ability to learn and an educational or recreational activity provider's ability to teach students in a safe environment. Your Committee further finds that a safe and civil environment helps youth to learn and thrive. This measure ensures that such an environment will be established by requiring providers of education and recreational activities to youth in the State to create and maintain clear and consistent policies and procedures to address bullying, harassment, and retaliation, and that their employees and staff who work closely with the youths receive appropriate training on how to recognize and address such problematic behaviors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the definition of "covered entity" to mean any educational or recreational organization serving as the primary custodian of youth on a regular basis; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2483, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2483, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair