HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

308

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to child safety.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  Chapter 577, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§577-     Public child care programs; policies and procedures governing bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment.  Each public child care program, to the greatest extent feasible, shall comply with all department of education administrative rules and statutes governing acts of bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment; provided that:

     (1)  Notwithstanding any amendments to the contrary that may be made to the department of education administrative rules and statutes from time to time, each public child care program shall comply with the latest version of the administrative rules and statutes that mandates the reporting of bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment that:

         (A)  An official or other employee of the public child care program witnesses or has reason to believe has been committed or will be committed; and

         (B)  Occurs on the property of the public child care program during the program's hours of operation or during activities supervised by the program; and

     (2)  The public child care program shall adopt and implement policies, requirements, and procedures:

         (A)  Affording the parent or guardian of an alleged victim an opportunity to appeal a decision of the program to remediate a case of bullying, cyberbullying, or harassment, on the basis of the inadequacy of the decision in preserving the safety of the alleged victim; and

         (B)  Requiring the training of program officials and employees in identifying and responding to an act of bullying, cyberbullying, or harassment,

          in the absence of those policies, requirements, and procedures in the department of education administrative rules and statutes.

     For the purposes of this section:

     "Bullying" shall have the same meaning as defined in the department of education administrative rules and statutes.

     "Cyberbullying" shall have the same meaning as defined in the department of education administrative rules and statutes.

     "Harassment" shall have the same meaning as defined in the department of education administrative rules and statutes.

     "Public child care program" means any program administered by the State or a county for the instruction, enrichment, care, or supervision of any child under the age of eighteen."

     SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Child Safety; Bullying; Cyberbullying; Harassment

 

Description:

Requires any state or county program for the instruction, enrichment, care, or supervision of children to comply with DOE rules and statutes governing acts of bullying, cyberbullying, or harassment.  Requires program staff to report cases and receive related training.  Requires the programs to allow parents or guardians of victims to appeal decisions to remediate.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.