STAND. COM. REP. NO.  128-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2483

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2483 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BULLYING,"

 

beg 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 Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services and LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Hawaii Youth Services Network.

 

     Your Committees find that youths 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 Committees further find that a safe and civil environment helps youths to learn and thrive.  This measure ensures that such an environment will be established by requiring providers of education and recreational activities to youths 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 Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language specifying the design and parameters of the consequences that may result from an identified incident of bullying, harassment, or retaliation, and instead requiring the Department of Education to determine the list of consequences;

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Human Services & Homelessness that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2483, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2483, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Human Services & Homelessness,

 

 

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

 

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair