HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Rep. Justin H. Woodson, Chair |
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Rep. Trish La Chica, Vice Chair |
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Rep. Terez Amato |
Rep. Darius K. Kila |
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Rep. Luke A. Evslin |
Rep. Ikaika Olds |
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Rep. Andrew Takuya Garrett |
Rep. Christopher L. Muraoka |
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Rep. Jeanne Kapela |
Rep. Kanani Souza |
NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Thursday, February 12, 2026 |
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TIME: |
2:00 p.m. |
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PLACE: |
VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE Conference Room 309 State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.
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Click here for the live stream of this meeting via YouTube.
A G E N D A
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RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES. Requires the School Facilities Authority to establish a pilot program to develop three new public schools in areas based on demonstrated need through public-private partnerships. Authorizes the School Facilities Authority to use public-private partnerships for the development of public school facilities, including facilities at public charter schools. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO SCHOOL MODERNIZATION. Requires the School Facilities Authority to establish a school modernization initiative through a capital improvement project planning database for school facilities statewide. Appropriates funds.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. Establishes a temporary, independent Public School Realignment and Closure Commission to develop and recommend a comprehensive package of school consolidations, realignments, and closures based on the federal Base Realignment and Closure model. Requires an expedited approval process by the Governor and Legislature. Appropriates moneys.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. Requires the School Facilities Authority to establish geographically based capital improvement project districts for the localized management of deferred maintenance. Transfers all deferred maintenance functions, funds, and vacant facilities development branch positions from the Department of Education to the School Facilities Authority as intended and contemplated in Act 72, SLH 2020. Appropriates funds.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO STUDENT TRANSPORTATION. Requires the Department of Education to establish a student bus fare rate system that includes free bus passes for students whose household qualifies the student for free lunch or reduced price lunch under the free and reduced price lunch program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO STUDENT TRANSPORTATION. Authorizes the Department of Education to hire a new contractor if a contractor under a student transportation contract fails to provide service on a contracted route for five or more consecutive instructional days. Requires the Department to assess a penalty if a contractor fails to provide service on a contracted route without an approved justification. Specifies that the assessed penalties be deposited into the school bus fare revolving fund. Authorizes the use of the school bus fare revolving fund to offset costs associated with procuring replacement services.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL. Clarifies eligibility and improves accountability for the use of Safe Routes to School funds. Repeals the position of safe routes to school program coordinator. Repeals certain requirements for county programs.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO EDUCATION. Requires the Department of Education to establish a Numeracy Coaching Program to provide numeracy coaches in certain Department of Education elementary schools, middle schools, and intermediate schools to support teachers, improve instruction, and ensure that students develop a strong foundation in mathematics. Appropriates funds.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO EDUCATION. Updates Hawaii's statutory framework for adult and community education programs to ensure alignment with federal funding requirements and current best practices in those programs.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING. Appropriates funds to the Executive Office on Early Learning to administer funding for family-child interaction learning programs.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO CIVIC EDUCATION. Establishes a Civic Education Grant Program to provide support to public middle and intermediate schools in providing civic education to students through department approved programming. Establishes a Civic Education Trust Fund.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO FINANCIAL LITERACY. Requires the Department of Education to implement financial literacy instruction into existing courses in public high schools that have sufficient overlap with financial literacy program standards beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. Requires the Board of Education to provide professional development to teachers. Allows the Board of Education to adopt rules. Appropriates funds.
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO EDUCATION. Requires the Board of Education to adopt a policy that bans the use of phones and related devices by students during school hours, except for instructional purposes, to begin in the 2027-2028 school year.
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EDN, JHA |
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RELATING TO STUDENT HEALTH. Authorizes a school to maintain a stock supply of over-the-counter oral antihistamines to be administered under certain conditions. Authorizes school personnel to administer the over-the-counter oral antihistamine medication, under certain conditions.
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EDN, JHA |
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DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW
Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Testimony received after this time will be stamped late and left to the discretion of the chair to consider. While every effort will be made to incorporate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed, may not be processed.
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FOR AMENDED NOTICES: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are bolded.
For more information, please contact the Committee Clerk at (808) 586-6345.
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________________________________________ Rep. Justin H. Woodson Chair |
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