STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1543

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 383

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 383, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Board of Education (BOE) to collaborate with the Department of Health (DOH) to establish a mandatory youth suicide awareness and prevention training program (Program) and model risk referral protocol (Protocol), based on the DOH's existing suicide awareness and prevention curriculum and materials, for all public schools, including charter schools; and

(2) Require complex areas and charter schools to provide the Program and Protocol to all school personnel who work directly with students in department schools and charter schools, respectively.

The Hawaii Youth Services Network, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, Mental Health America of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Psychological Association, Parents And Children Together, and an individual supported this measure. The BOE, Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i, and Hawaii State Teachers Association provided comments.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Education rather than the BOE, to collaborate with DOH to establish the Program and Protocol;

(2) Clarifying that the Program and Protocol shall be provided only to teachers, teacher assistants, administrators, and counselors;

(3) Deleting the specific requirements that the Program and Protocol shall provide;

(4) Deleting the requirement that each complex area provide to each department school under its authority to develop a complex area plan that complies with the Program and Protocol requirements;

(5) Deleting the definition for "personnel"; and

(6) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2055, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 383, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 383, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Health,

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair