Bill Text: HI SCR10 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requesting The Establishment Of A Sexual Abuse Prevention Education Task Force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-27 - Referred to EDU/HMS, JDL. [SCR10 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2017-SCR10-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
10 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION EDUCATION TASK FORCE.
WHEREAS, sexual abuse remains a serious and ongoing threat to the safety, health, and well-being of children and young people in the State of Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, although programs and Department of Education-approved curricula currently exist in the State of Hawaii to train school teachers and staff and to provide sexual abuse prevention education to students, implementation is not consistent system wide and resources for the provision of training and education is limited; and
WHEREAS, some students in Hawaii do not receive regular, consistent child abuse prevention education, and some parents are not informed about child sexual abuse topics; and
WHEREAS, many school teachers and staff do not receive sufficient training on talking to students about child sexual abuse prevention or on the effects of child sexual abuse on children, handling sexual abuse disclosures, and mandated reporting; and
WHEREAS, laws requiring that public school systems implement a program of regular, consistent sexual abuse prevention education for students, teacher and staff training, and parental involvement have passed in twenty-six other states and the territory of Guam, have been introduced in the legislatures of sixteen other states, and represent a national trend in safety, health, and well-being education; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to establish a Sexual Abuse Prevention Education Task Force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to comprise the following:
(1) The Superintendent of Education, or the Superintendent's designee;
(2) The Director of Health, or the Director's designee;
(3) The Director of Human Services, or the Director's designee;
(4) The Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee;
(5) The Director of the Executive Office on Early Learning, or the Director's designee;
(6) The Executive Director of the Hawaii Youth Services Network, or the Executive Director's designee;
(7) The Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Children's Action Network, or the Executive Director’s designee;
(8) The Executive Director of the Sex Abuse Treatment Center, or the Executive Director's designee;
(9) The Chairperson of the Senate standing committee with primary jurisdiction over education, or the Chairperson's designee;
(10) The Chairperson of the House of Representatives standing committee with primary jurisdiction over education, or the Chairperson's designee;
(11) An elementary school principal, to be designated by the Superintendent of Education;
(12) A secondary school principal, to be designated by the Superintendent of Education; and
(13) A representative from a charter school, to be designated by the Executive Director of the State Public Charter School Commission; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Superintendent of Education or the Superintendent's designee shall serve as the chairperson of the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an initial meeting be held no later than August 12, 2017; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to consider the following concepts when reviewing current policies, programs, and curricula and making recommendations for the establishment of a program:
(1) Current resources available in the State for educating students in the public school system about sexual abuse prevention;
(2) Existing gaps in child sexual abuse prevention education and any need for education, training, and information for students, school teachers and staff, and parents and guardians;
(3) The Hawaii Content and Performance Standards;
(4) Required elements for an instructional program for students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve, including but not limited to:
(A) Techniques to teach children to recognize sexual abuse, equip them with skills to reduce their vulnerability, and encourage them to report the abuse;
(B) Sessions of instruction to reinforce the concepts learned in the program;
(C) Sessions conducted annually, building on skills and knowledge learned in previous years;
(D) Developmentally appropriate instruction for each grade level;
(E) Involvement of students as active learning participants, through such methods as discussion, modeling, and role playing;
(F) Capacity of program services to be delivered by a range of personnel and professionals, including but not limited to teachers, school counselors, and outside agency prevention educators; provided that the personnel and professionals have a thorough knowledge of child sexual abuse, including how to respond appropriately to sexual abuse disclosures;
(G) An evaluation component with measurable outcomes;
(H) Instruction that is culturally sensitive and adaptable for use within varying school contexts, including age, race, and special needs;
(I) The use of evidence-based, age appropriate curricula that uses discussions, role plays, activities, books, or other appropriate educational materials and methods, to the extent possible;
(J) A professional training component for administrators, teachers, and other school personnel on talking to students about child sexual abuse prevention, effects of child sexual abuse on children, handling of sexual abuse disclosures, and mandated reporting; and
(K) A component that encourages parental or guardian involvement within the child sexual abuse prevention education program, which should inform parents or guardians about child sexual abuse topics, including discussion of child sexual abuse myths, characteristics of offenders, grooming behaviors, and how to discuss this topic with children;
(5) Title IX and any other federal and state laws and policies concerning public school systems' handling of sexual violence issues, to the extent that they relate to sexual abuse prevention education;
(6) Resources needed to implement a system wide program for child sexual abuse prevention education; and
(7) Updates to law or policy that would assist in the implementation of a statewide program for child sexual abuse prevention education; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force, with the assistance of the Department of Education, is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018, and a follow-up report, including any additional proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be dissolved on June 30, 2019; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Attorney General, Director of the Executive Office on Early Learning, Executive Director of the Hawaii Youth Services Network, Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Children's Action Network, Executive Director of the Sex Abuse Treatment Center, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Executive Director of the State Public Charter School Commission.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Keiki Caucus; Sexual Abuse Prevention Education Task Force
