STAND. COM. REP. NO. 561-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1651

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1651, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SAFETY OF EDUCATIONAL WORKERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Provide that educational workers shall not be required to work under conditions or perform tasks when the educational worker is being subjected to harassment;

(2) Require the Department of Education and public charter schools to take certain actions regarding the reporting and handling of harassment of educational workers; and

(3) Establish the misdemeanor offense of harassment of an educational worker.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Hawaii State AFL-CIO; and six individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that the many instances of harassment inflicted on educational workers warrants the establishment of procedures to safeguard the health and safety of educational workers. Your Committee also finds that safe schools are fundamental to creating and fostering an optimal learning and working environment. School safety is linked to improved student performance and school outcomes. This measure recognizes the necessity of safeguarding educational workers to enable optimal delivery of educational services to students and families and maintaining a safe learning and working environment.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have established the misdemeanor offense of harassment of an educational worker; 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1651, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1651, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair