RELATING TO STUDENT SAFETY.
HB2445 would require the Hawaii Department of Education to develop, adopt, and implement a standardized emergency response plan for public schools dealing with immigration enforcement activity on or within 1,000 feet of school campuses during instructional hours or school-sponsored activities. The plan must cover how school staff should respond to immigration officials, how requests for access to school grounds or student records should be handled, what student protections apply, how parents or guardians should be notified, what staff training is required, and how the plan will be reviewed and updated over time.
The bill also directs the department to adopt broader policies and procedures for immigration enforcement activity at school-sponsored events, on school buses, and at marked or known bus stops when children are present. It requires protection of student privacy under FERPA and related laws, prohibits school personnel from assisting in immigration enforcement beyond what is legally required, and states that the measure does not create a duty for school staff to determine a student’s immigration status or interfere with lawful law enforcement activity. The department would also have to report to the legislature before each regular session on implementation, training, and recommendations, and it could adopt administrative rules to carry out the law.
If enacted, the bill would add a new section to chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, creating a statewide mandate for the Department of Education to establish immigration-enforcement response protocols for public schools and related school settings. It would affect school administrators, teachers, and relevant staff by requiring training and clear procedures, and it would shape how schools handle law enforcement requests, student supervision, family notification, and privacy protections. The bill would also require ongoing legislative reporting and allow the department to promulgate rules under chapter 91.
The bill’s stated purpose and structure suggest a protective, student-centered approach focused on safety, continuity of education, and trauma-informed response. The available committee history shows no recorded votes or transcript debate, but the last action was a committee recommendation to defer the measure, indicating it did not advance at that stage. Overall, the bill appears to have been framed as a precautionary school-safety measure rather than a law-enforcement measure.
The main potential point of contention is the bill’s treatment of immigration enforcement near schools, including limits on school personnel involvement, notification procedures, and handling of requests from immigration officials. Supporters would likely emphasize student safety, emotional well-being, and privacy, while critics could view the measure as complicating lawful enforcement activity or creating operational burdens for schools. The bill attempts to address that concern by expressly stating it does not obstruct lawful law enforcement activity and does not require staff to determine immigration status.