STAND. COM. REP. NO. 114-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1906

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1906 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROMOTE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Education to:

(1) Maintain and enhance its Panorama platform and Trust Circle mobile platform; or

(2) Create one or more new platforms that provide increased support for mental health, including social-emotional health.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that providing mental health and well‑being support plays a critical role in addressing the diverse and complex psychological needs of students, offering important support that extends beyond traditional academic needs. Access to mental health and well-being support enables early identification and intervention for students experiencing mental health issues.

Your Committee further finds that the Department of Education uses two platforms to address mental health. The Panorama Education platform is used to survey students and the Trust Circle mobile platform provides broader mental health and well-being support access, reduces barriers to seeking support, and addresses the potential consequences of overlooking those who may require assistance but remain outside existing referral channels.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Education does not have a platform to gather social-emotional surveys or a centralized database that captures student data around academics, attendance, behavior, mental health, and social-emotional learning needs. This measure will provide the Department of Education with funding to enhance and sustain the Department's ability to address mental health, including social-emotional health.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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 H.B. No. 1906, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1906, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair