STAND. COM. REP. NO. 207-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2185

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2185 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPORTS OFFICIALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Attorney General to represent sports officials in civil proceedings if the sports official has been assaulted or threatened in the course of legally discharging their sports official duties;

(2) Include intentional bodily injury of a sports official engaged in the lawful discharge of the sports official's duties in the offense of assault in the first degree;

(3) Clarify that a sports official includes a school administrator or league administrator; and

(4) Clarify that a sports official's duties cover sports events at public schools and private schools.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; State Public Charter School Commission; Hawaii Association of Independent Schools; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Hawaii High School Athletic Association; Hawaii State Basketball Officials Association; and eight individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that athletics serve as an extension of the classroom, where students learn critical life skills and sportsmanship. These lessons are undermined when sports officials, who are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the game, are subjected to threats or physical violence. Your Committee believes that elevating the legal protections and providing state-backed legal representation for sports officials will deter violence and protect the individuals who help make interscholastic athletics possible.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have authorized the Attorney General to represent sports officials in civil proceedings if the sports official has been assaulted or threatened in the course of legally discharging their sports official duties and to receive a fee or reward for such representation;

(2) Inserting language authorizing the Department of Education to retain private counsel to represent a sports official in certain civil proceedings to obtain a temporary restraining order in response to incidences where the sports official has been assaulted or threatened in the course of legally discharging their sports official duties;

(3) Clarifying that a sports official includes an athletic director;

(4) Specifying that intentional substantial bodily injury of a sports official engaged in the lawful discharge of the sports official's duties is included in the offense of assault in the first degree;

(5) Restoring language that classifies intentional bodily injury of a sports official engaged in the lawful discharge of the sports official's duties is included in the offense of assault in the second degree;

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

(7) 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. 2185, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2185, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair