SB37 would require public and private schools in Hawaii that serve students in grades 6 through 12 and issue student identification cards to print mental health and suicide prevention hotline information on those cards beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. The required information includes the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741), and telephone or text numbers for state or local mental health programs.
The bill allows schools to continue issuing preexisting noncompliant ID cards until their unused supply is exhausted as of January 1, 2025, and limits the mandate to newly issued cards and replacement cards for lost or damaged IDs. It also creates a civil penalty of up to $100 per separate knowing violation for any public or private school that fails to comply.
Impact
The bill would amend Chapter 302A of the Hawaii Revised Statutes by adding a new section governing student identification cards for grades 6-12. It imposes a statewide labeling requirement on both public and private schools, including charter schools and other schools serving those grades, and authorizes civil enforcement through monetary penalties. The measure would not change student eligibility rules or school operations broadly, but it would require schools to update ID card designs and maintain compliance with hotline information requirements.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the overall sentiment appears supportive and preventive in nature, with the bill framed as a student safety and mental health awareness measure. The legislation is presented as a straightforward public-health intervention intended to make crisis resources more visible to adolescents. No recorded opposition, amendments, or divided votes are available in the provided materials.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are administrative burden, printing costs, and whether a state mandate should apply to both public and private schools that issue ID cards. Schools may also differ on how to fit multiple hotline numbers on a card and how to identify appropriate state or local mental health contacts. The bill’s $100 civil penalty for each knowing violation could also be a concern for schools that struggle to update inventory or comply quickly, though the bill includes a phase-in and depletion exception for existing card stock.