STAND. COM. REP. NO. 369-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2012

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 Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2012, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY LITERACY LABS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Department of Education to establish a two-year community literacy labs pilot program in certain underserved and high-need communities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that literacy is foundational to academic achievement, workforce readiness, economic mobility, and civic participation; however, a significant number of students attending Title I public schools are not reading at grade level, increasing the likelihood of long-term educational and economic disparities. Your Committee further finds that community-based, culturally responsive literacy supports have the potential to improve early reading proficiency and family engagement. This measure would pilot at least five such efforts in areas with the greatest literacy and access needs to demonstrate the effects of these interventions on reading proficiency and family engagement.

Your Committee notes that it is in the process of obtaining a cost estimate for the pilot program proposed by this measure and will forward that information to your Committee on Finance when it is available.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2012, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair