STAND. COM. REP. NO. 501-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2621

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. 2621 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STUDENT MISCONDUCT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require public schools to report to the Department of Education any incident involving physical violence; and

(2) Require the Department of Education to collect and maintain data on incidents involving physical violence at public schools and make such data publicly available.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that student safety is vital to learning and that incidents of physical violence in schools impairs student well-being, academic success, and community trust. Your Committee notes that the lack of data regarding physical violence in schools leads to uneven discipline and insufficient information to advise on prevention and intervention efforts. This measure will clarify procedures related to the reporting of student misconduct involving physical violence and establish a consistent reporting and data framework to ensure accountability, transparency, and informed policy decisions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Substituting the term:

(A) "Primary aggressor" with "primary offender";

(B) "Secondary aggressor" with "secondary offender"; and

(C) "Passive bystander" with "witness";

(2) Deleting language that would have required the Department of Education to adopt or amend rules, policies, and procedures to implement the reporting and recording of data involving physical violence;

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

(4) 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. 2621, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2621, 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