STAND. COM. REP. NO. 439-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2078
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No.
2078 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to promote and maintain a safe
educational environment for students by strengthening the zero
tolerance policy by:

     (1)  Including criminal assaults and related offenses; and

     (2)  Allowing students to be suspended for up to 92 school
          days for criminal assault and related offenses that do
          not involve firearms.

     The Hawaii State Teachers Association and a concerned
individual submitted testimony in support of this bill.  The
Department of Education (DOE) submitted testimony in support of
the intent of this bill.

     Your Committee finds that the bill may complicate
disciplinary consequences on school campuses because it makes
references to the Hawaii Penal Code.  Chapter 19 of the DOE
administrative rules provides school administrators with an
immediately applicable means of disciplining students who commit
an assault.
 

 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 439-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Including reference to Chapter 19, sections 8-19-6(a)
          and 8-19-13(a)(1), of the DOE administrative rules,
          relating to class A offenses; and

     (2)  Requiring students to be suspended from school but
          not for more than 92 days for class A offenses.

     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.
2078, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2078, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   KEN ITO, Chair