STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2330

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2754

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2754 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIC EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Civic Education Grant Program to provide support to public middle and intermediate schools in providing civic education to students through Department of Education-approved programming; and

(2) Establish a Civic Education Trust Fund.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, AAUW of Hawaiʻi, Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that limited professional development opportunities and a shortage of civics-focused resources are major barriers to effective civics instruction in the State. This resource gap is most acute and impactful in middle and intermediate schools because early adolescence is a formative period for developing civic dispositions, such as critical thinking, respectful dialogue, collaboration, and an understanding of democratic principles. By supporting a robust civic education, this measure fosters the development of informed, engaged citizens who can advocate for their rights and participate fully in democratic processes.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that Department of Education-approved civic education programming provided through the Civic Education Grant Program shall be integrated within existing social studies curricula;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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 S.B. No. 2754, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2754, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair