STAND. COM. REP. NO. 980

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 388

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 388, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require clinical assessments of certain students.

Specifically, this measure requires the Department of Education to:

(1) Upon request by a parent or guardian, provide various evaluations of certain children who exhibit emergent or persistent behavioral issues; and

(2) Evaluate certain suspended students for mental health and learning differences.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Kinai Eha; Mililani Psychology Group; Alakai Na Keiki, Inc.; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; and eleven individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that early intervention and evaluation of at-risk youth can diagnose a multitude of social and emotional disorders, which can then be used to help determine appropriate mental health and educational services.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring that the Department of Education provide the parents or guardians of suspended students with the option to request an assessment to determine or uncover any contributing factors that may have led to the offense and provide services to the student that may mitigate any future disciplinary issues or concerns;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making a technical nonsubstantive amendment for the purpose of clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 388, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 388, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair