STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1347

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 811

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 811 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to publish weekly reports on schools that have reported positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases on the Department's website, beginning after July 1, 2021.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that although the Department of Education has stated that it has communication policies and set procedures in place to address COVID-19 cases, it generally has not provided information about positive COVID-19 test result cases on all school campuses and the limited information that it has shared has been inconsistent and incomplete. Your Committee further finds that of the limited information publicly released, positive COVID-19 cases listed by schools are not included. This measure will help to provide critical, real-time data necessary to assess school reopening and to respond to COVID-19 outbreak events that may place students, their families, and school staff at a heightened risk.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2051.

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 S.B. No. 811, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 811, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair