STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2988

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3089

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 3089, 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:

(1) Require that licensed teachers have their license revoked by the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board if the teacher is resigning or retiring during the pendency of any investigation into allegations of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or other physical abuse of a student;

(2) Require a licensed teacher to surrender their license if the teacher retires or resigns from teaching before the completion of an investigation; and

(3) Require the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board to report the surrendered license to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board.

Your Committee finds that the State's keiki deserve a high quality education in safe, protected learning environments. However, certain individuals who inflict harm or exploit their positions to take advantage of students jeopardize the safety of school communities. Further, certain individuals may resign or retire in lieu of termination, allowing them to continue abuse at another educational institution. Therefore, this measure implements an additional safeguard within the State's public schools to ensure the protection of children.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of April 14, 2112, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3089, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3089, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair