This amendment creates new safety rules for Hawaii schools to help teachers and staff deal with harassment from people outside their workplace.
Hawaii2026Enacted
HB1888
HB1888: Protecting School Staff from Harassment
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 11:30 PM
In one sentence
This law requires the Department of Education and state public charter schools to take steps against harassment, investigate reports, help staff get legal protection like restraining orders, and provide paid leave for court appearances.
What it does
- Stops school leaders from requiring workers to perform tasks if they are being harassed because of their job role.
- Requires the Department of Education and public charter schools to formally investigate all reported incidents of harassment against educational workers.
- Orders schools to report any harassment involving a potential threat of physical harm to law enforcement within 48 hours.
- Allows educational workers to take paid time off from work to attend court hearings for obtaining temporary restraining orders related to job-related harassment, though union members must negotiate this leave through their collective bargaining agreements.
- Requires annual training for all school staff on how to use de-escalation techniques and handle harassment from people outside the school system.
Who it affects
- Employees of the Department of Education, including teachers, counselors, specialists, administrators, and other employees.
- Staff members at state public charter schools.
- Volunteers who work in programs approved by the Department of Education or a public charter school.
- Contract workers hired to perform functions for the education department or public charter schools.
Limits and unknowns
- Schools must pay for costs related to serving temporary restraining orders, but they do not have to cover attorney fees or court filing costs.
- Paid leave time off for union members is subject to negotiation through collective bargaining agreements rather than being set directly by this rule.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Educational worker
- Any teacher, administrator, counselor, employee, volunteer in an approved program, or contract worker who performs duties in a Department of Education school or a state public charter school.
- Temporary restraining order
- A court order that temporarily stops someone from harassing another person until a full hearing can be held.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
RELATING TO THE SAFETY OF EDUCATIONAL WORKERS. DOE; AG; Public Charter Schools; Educational Workers; Sports Officials; Protection and Workplace Safety; Penal Code; Harassment Part I: Requires the Department of Education and state public charter schools to take certain steps to better address the harassment of educational workers, including sports officials. Authorizes the Attorney General to assist educational workers, including sports officials at department of education or public charter school sporting events, who have been subject to harassment or intentional bodily injury in obtaining a temporary restraining order. Part II: Includes the intentional, knowing or reckless disruption or interference with a school function, school administration, or school board under the offense of harassment. Makes harassment to an educational worker, including sports officials, engaged in the performance of their duty a misdemeanor. (CD1)
Official activity
Bill history
- Act 234, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1336).H
- Act 234, 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1336).S
- Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).S
- Transmitted to Governor.H
- Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).H
- Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto voting no (1) and none excused (0).H
- Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.S
- 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26S
- Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 150-26).S
- Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.H
- Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 150-26) as amended in (CD 1).H
- The 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.S
- The 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.H
- Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.H
- Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 1:37PM in conference room 229.H
- Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-29-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.H
- Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 04-28-26 1:35PM in conference room 229.H
- Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 719).H
- Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Elefante, Rhoads, Wakai Co-Chairs; DeCorte.S
- Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).S
Changes
Amendments
6 stored
This amendment requires Hawaii's Department of Education and state public charter schools to create new safety rules, investigate harassment reports quickly, and support staff who face threats.
This amendment requires Hawaii's Department of Education and public charter schools to create new safety rules, investigate harassment reports within 48 hours, train staff on de-escalation techniques, and provide paid leave for workers attending court hearings related to harassment.
This amendment requires Hawaii's Department of Education and state public charter schools to create new safety rules, investigate harassment reports within 48 hours, provide paid leave for court dates related to harassment, and offer annual training on handling dangerous situations.
This amendment creates new rules to protect teachers, volunteers, and sports officials from harassment by requiring schools to investigate reports, call police within 48 hours, provide paid leave for court dates, and offer safety training.
This amendment creates new rules to protect school employees and sports officials from harassment by requiring schools to investigate incidents, report threats to police, provide paid leave for court dates, and offer safety training.