STAND. COM. REP. NO. 911

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 106

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 106, 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 provide greater flexibility in the reporting of information on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the Department of Education.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Authorizes the Department of Health to require the Department of Education to report COVID-19 case counts and other related information in a manner most appropriate to public health and safety, as determined by the Department of Health; and

(2) Repeals the requirement that weekly reports be published on the Department of Education's website.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from three individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that the existing weekly COVID-19 reporting requirement is an administrative burden on Department of Education schools and that modifying the nature of the reporting in a manner that is acceptable to the Department of Health will require the two departments to continue their collaborative efforts to respond to potential outbreaks of infectious illnesses in schools and, accordingly, will continue to ensure public health and safety.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the description of the COVID-19 information to be reported from "case counts and related information" to "potential outbreaks and related information."

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. 106, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 106, 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