STAND. COM. REP. NO. 40

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 811

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 811 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the department of education to publish a weekly report on schools that have cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Teachers Association and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that although the Department of Education has stated that it has communication policies and set procedures in place to address COVID-19 cases, it generally has not provided information about positive COVID-19 test result cases on all school campuses and the limited information that it has shared has been inconsistent and incomplete. The Committee further finds, in particular, that the Department of Educations does not publicize positive COVID-19 cases listed by school. This measure will require that the Department of Education reports positive COVID-19 cases, which will allow students, teachers, and communities to make informed decisions on how to proceed.

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 S.B. No. 811 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair