THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	243
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO SAFETY.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that in recent years, several disturbing incidents have occurred relating to school safety.  In March 2018 at Kipapa elementary school, a boy reported that a man approached him in a school restroom and tried to grab his hand.  On December 12, 2019, a police manhunt in Waipahu prompted officials at Waipahu high school and August Ahrens elementary school to place those schools on lockdown.  On February 27, 2020, following a report of a man armed with a gun in Ewa Beach, Ilima intermediate school, Pohakea elementary school, Kaimiloa elementary school, and Campbell high school initiated a lockdown.

     The legislature finds that elementary school students often lack the capacity to properly assess and identify the potential dangers posed by the presence of individuals who are not authorized to be present on a school's campus.  Accordingly, to ensure that those children can learn in safe environments, the State must take action to deter the presence of unauthorized individuals from those environments.

     The purpose of this Act is to ensure the protection of young children by assigning dedicated security personnel to serve at public elementary schools and public facilities that provide prekindergarten care.

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

     "§302A-     School safety; school resource officers; guards.  (a)  The department shall assign school resource officers or guards registered pursuant to chapter 463 to serve at each public elementary school and state prekindergarten program during hours when students are expected to be on the school campus.  In determining the number of officers or guards that shall be assigned to each public elementary school or state prekindergarten program, the department shall consider:

     (1)  The size of the school campus;

     (2)  The number of students in the school or program; and

     (3)  Other factors relevant to student safety.

     (b)  The department shall seek federal grants to the extent necessary for the costs relating to the hiring of school resource officers and registered guards."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the provision of school resource officers and guards at public elementary schools and state prekindergarten programs.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

DOE; Schools; Children; Resource Officers; Guards; Appropriation

 

Description:

Requires the Department of Education to assign school resource officers or guards to serve at public elementary schools and state prekindergarten programs.  Requires the Department of Education to seek funding from federal grants.  Appropriates funds.

 

 

 

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