STAND. COM. REP. NO. 52-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2482

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 2482 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Beginning January 1, 2024, require public schools and public charter schools to have at least one employee trained to administer or assist with the self-administration of seizure rescue medication or electrical stimulation using a vagus nerve stimulator magnet, except under certain circumstances;

(2) Require all principals, guidance counselors, and teachers to perform an annual self-study review of seizure disorder materials;

(3) Require the Department of Education to establish a seizure action plan for every student diagnosed with a seizure disorder and distribute the plan to employees charged with supervising or caring for the student; and

(4) Appropriate funds to the Department of Education for training of employees to administer or assist with the self-administration of seizure rescue medication at public schools and public charter schools.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Association of School Psychologists, Epilepsy Foundation of Hawaii, Epilepsy Foundation of America, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and sixteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Education, Department of Health, and Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

Your Committee finds that one study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that students aged six to seventeen years living with epilepsy were more likely to miss eleven or more days of school, compared to students with other health concerns. Proper seizure first aid and continuity of care while students are in school is an important factor to ensure students reach their full potential with as minimal disruption to their learning environment as possible.

Your Committee further finds that the seizure action plan required by this measure would provide school personnel with important considerations, precautions, and contact information to help ensure aid is timely, tailored to the student's needs, and properly administered.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Should your Committee on Education hear this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider whether the requirements of this measure are already accomplished by existing Department of Education policies and whether the requirements proposed by this measure should begin at the start of a school year rather than a calendar year and what impact a proposed start date would have on the Department's multi-track schools.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2482, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2482, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair