STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3259

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2293

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2293, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HARM TO STUDENTS REGISTRY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the scope of the Department of Education's harm to students registry by excluding K-12 students and by providing that contractors and volunteers are included only if their role involves interaction with students.

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

Your Committee finds that the broad statutory scope of the Harm to Students Registry, established pursuant to Act 156, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, has led to practical challenges in efficiently implementing and administering the registry requirements. Refining the focus of the Registry will allow the Department of Education to more effectively allocate resources where student safety concerns are most relevant. This measure maintains strong student protections while improving administrative efficiency.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 31, 2055, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2293, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2293, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair