HI SB865

Requires all educational institutions and youth-serving agencies receiving state funding to adopt and enforce bullying prevention policies within 365 days that address physical, electronic, and verbal bullying based on protected characteristics.

Establishes an 11-member bullying prevention task force within the governor's office to develop model policies, review compliance, and provide guidance on implementation within 180 days.

Mandates policies include definitions, codes of conduct, investigation procedures, parent notification protocols, appeal processes, and prohibitions on retaliation, with consequences designed as alternative discipline rather than suspension or expulsion when appropriate.

Requires annual bullying prevention programs for youth, employee and volunteer training on bullying prevention, and aggregate reporting to the governor, with biennial gubernatorial reports to the legislature on effectiveness and compliance by December 31.

Appropriates unspecified general revenue funds for fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 to the Department of Education for anti-bullying and suicide prevention efforts in public schools.