STAND. COM. REP. NO.1135

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 314

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 314, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR SCHOOL SECURITY GUARDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure public safety on campus by appropriating funds for the establishment of a mandatory basic training program for secondary school security guards.

The Department of Education and two private citizens submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Hawaii Government Employees Association submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure with recommendations for amendments.

Your Committee finds that although voluntary training programs exist for school security guards, no certification or prior experience is required in order to become a school security guard. Your Committee determines that the safety and welfare of our students is of the utmost importance and campus security should be equipped with the skills and knowledge to handle all situations, including those volatile or violent. Therefore, it is necessary to establish and fund a mandatory training program for school security guards to promote and improve school safety. Additionally, your Committee finds that the Department of Education should determine the nature and the scope of such training.

Your Committee believes that the scope of the measure should be expanded to protect our elementary school students as well and has amended the measure by removing any references to secondary school security guards.

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 H.B. No. 314, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 314, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair