HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2026

 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Rep. Justin H. Woodson, Chair

Rep. Trish La Chica, Vice Chair

 

Rep. Terez Amato

Rep. Darius K. Kila

Rep. Luke A. Evslin

Rep. Ikaika Olds

Rep. Andrew Takuya Garrett

Rep. Christopher L. Muraoka

Rep. Jeanne Kapela

Rep. Kanani Souza

 

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Thursday, February 19, 2026

TIME:

2:00 p.m.

PLACE:

VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE

Conference Room 309

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

 

 

Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.

 

A live stream link of all House Standing Committee meetings will be available online

shortly before the scheduled start time.

 

Click here for the live stream of this meeting via YouTube.

 

 

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 2485

Status

RELATING TO CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENING.

Requires cardiovascular screening for students, including student athletes.  Requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health, to distribute educational and informational materials regarding sudden cardiac arrest.  Requires the Department of Health to implement policies, programs, training, and continuing education that increase health care provider knowledge of cardiovascular screening guidelines.

 

EDN, FIN

HB 1889

Status

RELATING TO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.

Creates a School Psychologists Working Group within the Department of Education to recommend actionable steps or propose legislation for an immediate pathway to licensure for school psychologists that can be acted upon in 2027.  Requires a report to the Legislature.

 

EDN, CPC

HB 2445, HD1

(HSCR149-26)

Status

RELATING TO STUDENT SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Education to develop, adopt, and implement a standardized emergency response plan governing immigration enforcement activity at or within one thousand feet of public schools and adopt policies and procedures to address immigration enforcement activity at certain school-related location and events.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

ECD, EDN, JHA

HB 2415, HD1

(HSCR85-26)

Status

RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Transportation to install pedestrian safety improvements at sites abutting school properties, with consideration for other sites.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

TRN, EDN, FIN

HB 2436, HD1

(HSCR36-26)

Status

RELATING TO ARTS INTEGRATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Establishes within the Department of Education arts integration coordinator or specialist positions to support fine arts education and arts integration in public schools statewide.  Appropriates funds.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

CAA, EDN, FIN

HB 1937, HD1

(HSCR213-26)

Status

RELATING TO TAXES.

Excludes the sale of a motor vehicle to a lessor of rental motor vehicles for use as a rental motor vehicle as a sale at wholesale.  Imposes the maximum allowable excise tax on the use of tangible personal property in the State for the importation or purchase of a motor vehicle by a lessor of rental motor vehicles for use as a rental motor vehicle.  Establishes a Teacher Temporary Hazard Pay Special Fund to pay a temporary hazard pay bonus to certain eligible teachers.  Beginning 7/1/2026 until 7/1/2030, deposits the additional tax revenue generated by this Act into the Teacher Temporary Hazard Pay Special Fund.  Effective 7/1/3000.  Sunsets 7/1/2030.  (HD1)

 

TRN, EDN, FIN

HB 1595

Status

RELATING TO THE STATE LIBRARIAN.

Repeals the salary cap for the state librarian.

 

EDN, FIN

HB 1786

Status

RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.

Requires the Department of Education to make available all public school outdoor facilities and grounds on Saturdays and Sundays for public and community use without the need for any license, permit, or deposit of fees, under certain conditions.  Requires reports to the Legislature.  Repeals on 6/30/2030.

 

EDN, FIN

HB 2381

Status

RELATING TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Requires that incentives paid to public charter school teachers under the Teacher National Board Certification Incentive Program and other teacher differentials be paid from moneys appropriated to the State Public Charter School Commission, instead of the per-pupil allocation.

 

EDN, FIN

HB 2533

Status

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Department of Education to provide additional benefits to:  (1) teachers with special assignments where their duties and responsibilities are greater than their ordinary duties and responsibilities; (2) teachers in Hawaiian language medium education whose responsibilities are greater or unique and require additional language skills; and (3) teachers at special needs schools.  Appropriates moneys.

 

EDN, FIN

HB 2418

Status

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires that the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board submit three nominees for its Executive Director to the Board of Education.  Requires the Board of Education to appoint an Executive Director from the nominees on the list, subject to advice and consent of the Senate. 

 

EDN, JHA

HB 1559

Status

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Prohibits a student from using a telecommunication device on school grounds during the instructional day, with certain exceptions.  Requires a confiscated telecommunication device to be released only to the student's legal parent or guardian, who then has three months to retrieve the device or subject the device to forfeiture.

 

EDN, JHA

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________________

Rep. Justin H. Woodson

Chair