STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3004

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2348

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2348, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BULLYING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide bullying intervention training to public school employees.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires:

(A) Each public school principal to select at least one teacher from that principal's school to attend a bullying intervention training session;

(B) Each teacher who attends a bullying intervention training session to provide training on bullying intervention to at least five other public school employees; and

(C) The Department of Education to submit a report to the Legislature on the required bullying intervention training; and

(2) Appropriates moneys for bullying intervention training sessions.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Filipina Advocacy Network, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii Youth Services Network, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Women's Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that providing bullying intervention training to the State's public school employees will help to reduce the incidence of bullying in the State's public schools.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2348, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2348, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair