HawaiiSchools would set safety rules for harassed educational workers
If approved, Hawaii schools would have to investigate covered harassment, report threats, plan for emergencies, assist with legal actions, and train educational workers.
What it does
Department of Education workers facing covered harassment because of their jobs would receive reporting, investigation, emergency planning, legal-help, and annual training protections.
Public charter school workers facing covered harassment because of their jobs would receive reporting, investigation, emergency planning, legal-help, and annual training protections.
Argument forWorkers may have clearer ways to report harassment and get emergency planning, legal help, and training for handling threats.
Argument againstInvestigations, emergency plans, law-enforcement reports, legal assistance, and annual training could add substantial work for school administrators.
More detail
The Department of Education would protect workers from having to work or perform tasks while facing covered harassment because of their school position. Covered workers include department administrators, specialists, counselors, teachers, employees, approved volunteers, and department contractors. Covered harassment must be the type described in section 711-1106 and must be connected to the person's position as an educational worker. Workers may report suspected harassment to their immediate supervisor, who must take appropriate action under department procedures. The department must investigate reported incidents, report threats of possible physical harm to law enforcement within 48 hours, publish handling procedures, create emergency safety plans, help with legal actions, and provide annual training on de-escalation and harassment by outside actors. Legal help may reimburse costs of serving temporary restraining orders but may not pay attorney fees or court costs. The provision would take effect upon approval and would apply to the covered department workers and duties described above.
Public charter schools would protect workers from having to work or perform tasks while facing covered harassment because of their school position. Covered workers include charter school administrators, specialists, counselors, teachers, employees, approved volunteers, and charter school contractors. Covered harassment must be the type described in section 711-1106 and must be connected to the person's position as an educational worker. Workers may report suspected harassment to their immediate supervisor, who must take appropriate action under charter school procedures. A charter school must investigate reported incidents, report threats of possible physical harm to law enforcement within 48 hours, provide and post handling procedures, create emergency safety plans, help with legal actions, and provide annual training on de-escalation and harassment by outside actors. Legal help may reimburse costs of serving temporary restraining orders but may not pay attorney fees or court costs. Paid court leave for workers seeking judicial protection must be negotiated for employees in covered bargaining units. The provision would take effect upon approval and would apply to the covered charter school workers and duties described above.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 14Act 234, 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1336).Latest
- Jul 14Act 234, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1336).Became Law
- May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
- May 7Transmitted to Governor.
- May 6Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.Major
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto voting no (1) and none excused (0).Major
- May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
- May 1The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, Sayama, Tarnas, Lee, M., Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- May 1The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Elefante, Rhoads, Wakai, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 150-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- May 1Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 150-26).
- May 148 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
- Apr 30Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.
- Apr 29Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 1:37PM in conference room 229.
- Apr 28Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-29-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.
- Apr 27Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 04-28-26 1:35PM in conference room 229.
- Apr 22Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 719).Minor
- Apr 21Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Elefante, Rhoads, Wakai Co-Chairs; DeCorte.
- Apr 20Re-referred to EDN, LAB, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 30Minor
- Apr 20House Conferees Appointed: Woodson, Sayama, Tarnas, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; Muraoka.
- Apr 20Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).Minor
- Apr 17Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).Minor
- Apr 16House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).Minor
- Apr 14Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Fevella. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 14Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 636) in amended form (SD 2).
- Apr 10Reported from JDC/WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3807) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
- Apr 1048 Hrs. Notice 04-14-26.
- Apr 9The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 9The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Apr 7The committee(s) on JDC/WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-09-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
- Mar 30Reported from EDU/LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3388) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM.
- Mar 30Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC/WAM.Minor
- Mar 23The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 23The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Fevella ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara.Minor
- Mar 20The committee(s) on EDU/LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
- Mar 12Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 312).Minor
- Mar 12Passed First Reading.Minor
- Mar 12Referred to EDU/LBT, JDC/WAM.Minor
- Mar 10Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with Representative(s) Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 6Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1139-26) as amended in HD 3, recommending passage on Third Reading.
- Mar 6Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
- Feb 24The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem, Garcia.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 20Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 638-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.
- Vote recorded Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 20Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).Minor
- Feb 20Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-24-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Feb 17The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 13Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 02-17-26 9:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Feb 10Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).Minor
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 9Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 76-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.
- Feb 3The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 30Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 02-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Jan 26Introduced and Pass First Reading.Minor
- Jan 26Referred to EDN, LAB, JHA, referral sheet 2Minor
- Jan 23Pending introduction.Introduced
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