Report Title:

Education; Sun Protection Program

Description:

Establishes a sun protection program for students in public schools and children in child care homes and group child care centers.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

47

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

RELATING TO SUN PROTECTION.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Purpose.  The legislature finds that inadequate protection against the sun's harmful effects can have deadly consequences.  Excessive sun exposure will cause skin cancer in one out of every five Americans and contribute to fifty-eight per cent of the blindness caused by cataracts worldwide.  More than one million Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year, which is more than all other types of cancer combined.  Over ten thousand Americans (more than one per hour) will die from this disease.

     The three major types of skin cancer are the highly curable basal cell, the squamous cell carcinomas, and the deadliest of the three -- melanoma.  Melanoma is the most rapidly increasing form of cancer in the United States, causing seventy-five per cent of all skin cancer deaths.  Skin cancer is especially prevalent in Hawaii, with Kauai leading the nation in per capita incidence of basal cell carcinoma.

     The legislature also finds that sun protection during childhood and adolescence is particularly important because five or more severe sunburns during adolescence more than doubles a child's risk of developing melanoma.  It is imperative that the State act expeditiously to develop a comprehensive sun protection policy and to educate and protect public school students in Hawaii.

     The purpose of this Act is to require the department of education and the department of human services to develop and administer a sun protection program designed to protect public school students and other children in group child care homes or care centers, such as preschools, from the harmful effects of the sun.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§302A-    Sun protection program.  (a)  The department shall establish and administer a sun protection program in the public schools to protect students from the harmful effects of the sun.  The program shall include students in all public school programs including after-school programs and weekend community-school activities.

     (b)  The sun protection program shall include but not be limited to:

     (1)  Developing a curriculum that explains the dangers of excessive sun exposure and methods to protect students from the harmful effects of the sun;

     (2)  Assessing the physical environment of all public school campuses and facilities used for after-school programs and weekend community-school activities to determine the necessity of increasing the number of shelters and trees to adequately protect students and the school grounds from the sun;

     (3)  Scheduling outdoor activities during reasonable hours to protect students from excessive sun exposure;

     (4)  Recommending the use of hats, protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen with a protection factor of fifteen or greater to protect students from the sun; and

     (5)  Requiring regular evaluations of the sun protection program by students, employees, teachers, administrators, and parents.

     (c)  The department may adopt rules under chapter 91, necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section."

     SECTION 3.  Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§346-    Group child care home and child care center; sun protection program.  (a)  The department of human services shall establish and administer a sun protection program in group child care homes or group child care centers to protect children from the harmful effects of the sun.

     (b)  The sun protection program shall include but not be limited to:

     (1)  Developing a curriculum that explains the dangers of sun exposure and methods to protect children from the harmful effects of the sun;

     (2)  Assessing the physical environment of group child care home or group child care center facilities to provide recommendations on increasing the number of shelters and trees to adequately protect children and the facility grounds from the sun;

     (3)  Developing recommendations on outdoor activity scheduling to protect children from excessive sun exposure;

     (4)  Recommending the use of hats, protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen with a protection factor of fifteen or greater to protect children from the sun; and

     (5)  Obtaining regular evaluations of the sun protection program by parents, children, group child care home and group child care center employees and administrators.

     (c)  The department may adopt rules under chapter 91 necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section."

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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