HB1803

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii has experienced rising air temperatures, with annual peak averages consistently breaking record highs. These increases, combined with Hawaii's high average annual relative humidity, pose significant challenges for human thermoregulation.

The legislature further finds that exercising in hot and humid weather can be dangerous, as the body's ability to cool itself through sweating becomes less effective under humid conditions. When sweat cannot evaporate efficiently due to high moisture levels in the air, the risk of heat-related illnesses increases.

The legislature also finds that children and younger athletes are particularly vulnerable to exertional heat illness due to slower heat acclimatization, reduced thermoregulation capabilities compared to adults, and external pressures to exceed physical limits. Additionally, children often lack control over the timing and conditions of outdoor activities, such as recess and sports practices, and may have limited access to hydration during these activities.

The legislature additionally finds that wet-bulb globe temperature measurements are widely recognized as the gold standard for assessing heat stress, as used by the United States military, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Collegiate Athletic Association, and professional sports organizations.

The legislature further finds that in hot, high-risk areas of West Oahu, students have already experienced severe heat-related illness during outdoor school activities, including an incident requiring emergency medical care. In response to the urgency of this risk, a public middle school and high school in West Oahu are piloting the use of wet-bulb globe temperature thermometers during physical education and other outdoor activities to guide safety decisions and collect localized data. Despite these known risks and the expectation of increasing temperatures, Hawaii currently lacks statewide requirements for managing extreme heat during outdoor school activities, leaving students at risk of preventable heat-related illnesses.

The legislature notes that the Korey Stringer Institute, the nation's premier academic research institution on exertional heat illness and athlete safety, has recommended that Hawaii adopt comprehensive heat safety policies to protect student athletes.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Require the board of education to adopt a heat acclimatization and practice policy, based on the Hawaii Athletic Trainers Association's Hawaii High School Athletic Association Heat Acclimatization and Practice Policy of 2017, for students in grades kindergarten to twelve in department of education schools and public charter schools statewide; and

(2) Appropriate funds for training and implementation of the policy and for the purchase of wet-bulb globe temperature thermometers for public schools.

SECTION 2. Heat acclimatization and practice policy; student activities. (a) The board of education shall adopt a heat acclimatization and practice policy to be applicable at all department of education schools and charter schools in the State for grades kindergarten to twelve.

(b) The policy required by subsection (a) shall be based, to the extent practicable, on the Hawaii Athletic Trainers Association's Hawaii High School Athletic Association Heat Acclimatization and Practice Policy of 2017; provided that at a minimum, the board of education policy shall include:

(1) Thresholds for modifying, postponing, or canceling activities based on wet-bulb glove temperature measurements;

(2) The minimum time before activities at which a wet-bulb globe temperature measurement must be taken and the frequency of additional measurements once activities have begun;

(3) A requirement that wet-bulb globe temperature measurements occur onsite at the school campus or location where the activity shall take place;

(4) Protocols for ensuring adequate hydration during activities;

(5) Training for school staff on recognizing and responding to symptoms of exertional heat illness;

(6) Measures to safeguard students with medical conditions or medications that impair thermoregulation; and

(7) Requirements for acclimatizing or reacclimatizing students to return to activities after a period of absence.

(c) In implementing the policy required by subsection (a), the department of education and each charter school shall ensure that the policy:

(1) Is utilized for conducting, scheduling, and the implementing the modification or cancelation of sports conditioning practices, games, and recess; and

(2) Uses, as the standard for measuring heat stress, wet-bulb globe temperature standards that are consistent with the wet-bulb globe temperature component of the policy.

(d) As the Hawaii Athletics Trainers Association, or a successor organization, may issue updates to the Hawaii Athletic Trainers Association's Hawaii High School Athletic Association Heat Acclimatization and Practice Policy of 2017 from time to time, the board of education shall update to its policy with any applicable updates as soon as practicable. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the department of education or a charter school from implementing its own procedures to address applicable updates to the Hawaii Athletic Trainers Association's Hawaii High School Athletic Association Heat Acclimatization and Practice Policy of 2017, as amended, until such time the board of education amends its policy.

(e) The board of education may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to implement this section.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $15,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to the department of education for training and implementation of the policy adopted by the board of education pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $15,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to the public charter school commission for the training and implementation of the policy adopted by the board of education pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the state public charter school commission for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $143,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to provide wet-bulb globe temperature thermometers to all department of education schools statewide; provided that the devices shall meet or exceed the performance specifications model identified by the Korey Stringer Institute as the gold standard for scholastic heat safety, or any successor recommendation, or an equivalent device as determined by the department of education.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $22,000 so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to provide wet-bulb globe temperature thermometers to all public charter schools statewide; provided that the devices shall meet or exceed the performance specifications model identified by the Korey Stringer Institute as the gold standard for scholastic heat safety, or any successor recommendation, or an equivalent device as determined by the state public charter school commission.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the state public charter school commission for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1803
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII