CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 120-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2475

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2475, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a harm to students registry, for all early learning programs or schools and K-12 educational institutions within the State, that contains information on school employees, contractors, or volunteers for whom, as result of an investigation, a final finding has been issued that the individual has inflicted harm on a student; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee on Conference finds that Hawaii's prekindergarten through grade twelve students have a right to pursue their educational goals in safe, secure, and healthy learning environments statewide. However, in recent years, there has been a growing number of individuals who have perpetuated harm against children at one institution and then sought subsequent employment at another institution, creating a cycle of harm and abuse towards students. This measure establishes a Harm to Students Registry to create additional safeguards for students, maintain safe learning environments, and ensure individuals who have inflicted harm against students are held accountable.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have authorized the Department of Education to share information listed on the Harm to Students Registry with the Department of Human Services;

(2) Deleting the appropriation;

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2024; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2475, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2475, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Co-Chair
____________________________ JENNA TAKENOUCHI Co-Chair	____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM Co-Chair
	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair