Bill Text: HI SR4 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Erin's Law Task Force; sexual abuse prevention education

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-01 - Referred to EDU/HMS, JDL. [SR4 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-SR4-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	4
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the establishMENT OF an erin's law 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 for the purpose of providing training to school teachers and staff, and sexual abuse prevention education to students, implementation is not consistent system wide and resources for the provision of training and education are limited; and

 

     WHEREAS, students in Hawaii may not receive regular, consistent child abuse prevention education, nor are parents 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 others, and represent a national trend in safety, health, and well-being education; and

 

     WHEREAS, the above-referenced laws are collectively referred to as "Erin's Law" after an Illinois survivor of child sexual abuse, Erin Merryn, who has led the national movement for required programs for child abuse prevention education; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, that the Department of Education is requested to establish an Erin's Law Task Force; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to comprise the following:

 

     (1)  A Deputy Superintendent of the Department of Education, to be designated by the Superintendent;

 

     (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 Executive Director of the Hawaii Youth Services Network, or the Director's designee;

 

     (6)  The Executive Director of the Sex Abuse Treatment Center, or the Director's designee;

 

     (7)  A member of the Senate, to be designated by the Senate President;

 

     (8)  A member of the House of Representatives, to be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

     (9)  A non-legislative member of the Keiki Caucus of the Hawaii Legislature, to be designated by the Caucus;

 

    (10)  A member of the Board of Education to be designated by the Board Chairperson; and

 

    (11)  The Executive Directors, or their designees, of four additional community organizations involved in providing direct services addressing sexual abuse in elementary, intermediate, and high school aged children and youth in Hawaii to be designated by the task force members; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the member designated by the Senate President and the member designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives serve as the co-chairs of the task force; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an initial meeting be held no later than August 12, 2016; 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, including education, training, and information, as needed, 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 grades pre-kindergarten through 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)  At least four 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 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 should 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 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 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 2017, and a follow-up report, including any additional proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be dissolved on June 30, 2018; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Attorney General, Executive Director of the Hawaii Youth Services Network, Executive Director of the Sex Abuse Treatment Center, Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Erin's Law Task Force; sexual abuse prevention education