STAND. COM. REP. NO. 21-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1890

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1890 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide automatic annual salary step increases for public school teachers who have completed one year's satisfactory service and comply with specified requirements, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement negotiated for Bargaining Unit (5) and subject to the availability of funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Office of Collective Bargaining. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Department of Education; and United Public Workers, AFCSME Local 646, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers are essential to the success of the State's public education system. To address matters of teacher recruitment and retention, it is critical that teacher salaries remain competitive to attract qualified individuals who are responsible for the education of Hawaii's children. Your Committee believes that annual salary step increases for teachers will help to incentivize qualified teachers to fill teacher vacancies and reduce associated labor shortages.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1890, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1890, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair