STAND. COM. REP. NO. 636-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1825

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 1825, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TEACHER STANDARDS BOARD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Education and charter schools to employ unlicensed individuals on an emergency basis for up to five years, rather than three years.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Executive Office on Early Learning; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; The Teacher Lounge Team; Roots Reborn; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board.

Your Committee finds that the State continues to experience a chronic teacher shortage that forces schools to rely on emergency hires to ensure every classroom has a qualified adult providing instruction. Your Committee further finds that many emergency hires are unable to complete their licensure requirements within the current three-year limit because they must simultaneously manage full-time teaching responsibilities and rigorous preparation programs, resulting in the loss of effective educators who are close to becoming licensed. Your Committee believes that extending the emergency hire window to five years will help schools retain experienced and committed teachers, reduce classroom turnover, and support a more stable, qualified workforce.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that required the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board to adopt rules to facilitate emergency hiring;

(2) Permitting, rather than requiring, the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board to extend the five-year period for which a person may be employed on an emergency basis in the event of a state of emergency; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1825, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1825, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair