STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1609-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2475

S.D. 2

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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2475, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Education to 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 for the hiring of positions to manage the registry and carry out other requirements.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; State Public Charter School Commission; Early Learning Board; Executive Office on Early Learning; Kamehameha Schools; Hawaii Association of Independent Schools; Hawaii Council of Private Schools; and Punahou School. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Department of Human Services; and Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2475, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair