Hawaii 2023 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SB1341 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	THE SENATE S.B. NO. 1341 THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
2	2
3	3	THE SENATE S.B. NO. 1341
4	4	THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
6	6
7	7	THE SENATE
8	8
9	9	S.B. NO.
10	10
11	11	1341
12	12
13	13	THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
14	14
15	15
16	16
17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
18	18
19	19
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23
24	24
25	25
26	26
27	27
28	28
29	29
30	30
31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
32	32
33	33
34	34
35	35
36	36
37	37	RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41
42	42
43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
44	44
45	45
46	46
47	47	SECTION 1. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way schools operate, including creating additional processes and procedures to keep children as safe as possible from getting COVID-19. Pursuant to Act 4, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, the department of education publishes a weekly report on schools that have a student, staff member, or affiliated individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. However, it is a fine balance between reporting of COVID-19 cases and an individual's right to privacy, especially when it comes to publicly sharing case information involving children. When a COVID-19 case is identified, the department's safety protocol requires immediate notification to individuals who may have come into close contact with the infected person, while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with state and federal law. The frequency of disclosure by the department regarding COVID-19 case information could affect the department's ability to protect individuals from being identified, harassed, and socially discriminated against. Further, public schools are facing difficulty with minimizing classroom disruptions due to the increased level of inquiries beyond the immediate school community. As of August 1, 2022, the department no longer requires masking indoors on its school campuses due to the changes in public health guidelines from the department of health. Coupled with the prevalence of home testing, it has become increasingly difficult to accurately report on the number of COVID-19 cases at schools. The department will continue to enforce its overlapping mitigation strategies of practicing good hand washing hygiene, staying home when sick, and promoting vaccinations. The purpose of this Act is to repeal the department's COVID-19 weekly reporting requirements as mandated by Act 4, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2021. SECTION 2. Act 4, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, is repealed. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________ BY REQUEST
48	48
49	49	SECTION 1. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way schools operate, including creating additional processes and procedures to keep children as safe as possible from getting COVID-19. Pursuant to Act 4, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, the department of education publishes a weekly report on schools that have a student, staff member, or affiliated individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. However, it is a fine balance between reporting of COVID-19 cases and an individual's right to privacy, especially when it comes to publicly sharing case information involving children. When a COVID-19 case is identified, the department's safety protocol requires immediate notification to individuals who may have come into close contact with the infected person, while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with state and federal law.
50	50
51	51	The frequency of disclosure by the department regarding COVID-19 case information could affect the department's ability to protect individuals from being identified, harassed, and socially discriminated against. Further, public schools are facing difficulty with minimizing classroom disruptions due to the increased level of inquiries beyond the immediate school community.
52	52
53	53	As of August 1, 2022, the department no longer requires masking indoors on its school campuses due to the changes in public health guidelines from the department of health. Coupled with the prevalence of home testing, it has become increasingly difficult to accurately report on the number of COVID-19 cases at schools. The department will continue to enforce its overlapping mitigation strategies of practicing good hand washing hygiene, staying home when sick, and promoting vaccinations.
54	54
55	55	The purpose of this Act is to repeal the department's COVID-19 weekly reporting requirements as mandated by Act 4, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2021.
56	56
57	57	SECTION 2. Act 4, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, is repealed.
58	58
59	59	SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
60	60
61	61
62	62
63	63	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
64	64	BY REQUEST
65	65
66	66	INTRODUCED BY:
67	67
68	68	_____________________________
69	69
70	70
71	71
72	72
73	73
74	74	BY REQUEST
75	75
76	76	Report Title: Department of Education; Schools; Report; COVID-19 Description: Repeals the Department of Education's weekly report on schools that have reported positive COVID-19 cases. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
77	77
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81
82	82	Report Title:
83	83
84	84	Department of Education; Schools; Report; COVID-19
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88	Description:
89	89
90	90	Repeals the Department of Education's weekly report on schools that have reported positive COVID-19 cases.
91	91
92	92
93	93
94	94
95	95
96	96
97	97
98	98	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.