STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1756

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 554

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 554, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAMPUS SAFETY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the University of Hawaii to provide training and awareness programs on sexual misconduct.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the University of Hawaii to:

(A) Ensure that any individual participating in the University's disciplinary process has training or experience in handling sexual misconduct complaints and the University's disciplinary process; and

(B) Provide mandatory annual trauma-informed, gender‑inclusive, LGBTQ+-inclusive sexual misconduct primary prevention and awareness programming for University of Hawaii students and employees;

(2) Prohibits the University of Hawaii from taking certain disciplinary actions against either persons who report sexual misconduct or witnesses of sexual misconduct, unless certain exceptions apply; and

(3) Appropriates moneys to the University of Hawaii to establish four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) positions.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, AAUW of Hawaii, Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, Every Voice Coalition, Every Voice Hawaii, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Imua Alliance, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and numerous individuals.

Your Committees received written comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that requiring the University of Hawaii to provide mandatory annual trauma-informed, gender-inclusive, LGBTQ+-inclusive sexual misconduct primary prevention and awareness programming for its students will help to prevent sexual misconduct and make students feel safer and more supported.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 554, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 554, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair