STAND. COM. REP. NO.  559-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2155

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2155 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for the Erin's Law Task Force (Task Force) to review policies, programs, and curricula for educating public school students about sexual abuse and sex trafficking prevention, and report recommendations for the establishment of a program to educate public school children on sexual abuse prevention through age appropriate curricula.  

 

     The Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, YWCA Oahu, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, American Association of University Women in Hawaii, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Parents and Children Together, Hawaii Pacific Health, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, IMUAlliance, UNITE, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Domestic Violence Action Center, YWCA of Hawaii Island, YWCA of Kauai, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Hawaii Women's Coalition, and several individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Department of Education, and Mental Health America of Hawaii provided comments.  

 

     Your Committee notes that comments and recommendations were raised by the Department of Education.  In particular, the Department recommended that the subject matter of the measure be restricted to sexual abuse prevention.  Furthermore, the Department recommended an elementary teacher and a secondary teacher designated by the Hawaii State Teacher's Association be added to the Task Force to provide K-12 expertise.  The Department estimated that $50,000 is necessary in each year of the fiscal biennium to support the operations and activities of the Task Force.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the amount appropriated to an unspecified amount; and

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

 

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committee on Health & Human Services respectfully requests that it appropriate $25,000 for the operations of the Task Force.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2155, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2155, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Human Services,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair