KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Senator Donna Mercado Kim, Chair |
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Senator Michelle N. Kidani, Vice Chair |
NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Monday, March 16, 2026 |
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TIME: |
1:00 PM |
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PLACE: |
Conference Room 229 & Videoconference State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL
BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY
The Legislature is accepting written, videoconference, and in-person testimony at public hearings.
A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.
A G E N D A
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RELATING TO HUMAN AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience for the development of its human and community resilience institute. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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EDU, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII. Authorizes the University of Hawaii to engage in enterprise-related activities for educational purposes, under certain circumstances. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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EDU, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII. Exempts one strategic planning retreat of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii per year from open meeting requirements if certain conditions are met. Requires members of the Board of Regents to complete a governance training and attend the training at least once every two years thereafter. Requires the Candidate Advisory Council to ensure that all candidates presented to the Governor for nomination have certain subject matter experience and are not registered lobbyists who have lobbied on matters pertaining to the University of Hawaii. Exempts the financial disclosures of the Board of Regents as mandated by the State Ethics Code from being made public. Requires the Board of Regents, in collaboration with the Candidate Advisory Council, to submit annual reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
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EDU, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. Authorizes the issuance of GO bonds and appropriates funds for capital improvements for the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience's Agricultural Research and Extension Station on Kauai. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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EDU, WAM |
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RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS. Establishes a statewide language access education and workforce development program at the University of Hawaii. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
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EDU, WAM |
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RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES. Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii to conduct a study on effective treatment methods to reduce populations of the Queensland Longhorn Beetle. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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EDU, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII. Requires the UH system to collect, maintain, and publish standardized program-level data for each academic program offered. Requires maintenance of an online dashboard with program-level data. Requires an annual report. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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EDU, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAM. Amends the Hawaii Community College Promise Program (Hawaii promise) to exclude grants, scholarships, and other funding sources from the calculation of Hawaii promise awards, allowing students to apply such funds toward indirect costs, including housing, food, and other living expenses, to reduce financial barriers and support student success. Addresses the change in federal law regarding Pell Grants. Changes Hawaii promise from being a last-dollar award. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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EDU, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII REVENUE BONDS. Authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of financing qualifying priority capital improvement projects. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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EDU, WAM |
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RELATING TO A MARITIME YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAY PROGRAM. Directs the University of Hawaii Community College System, in partnership with state agencies and maritime employers, to conduct a study and develop a plan for a statewide Maritime Youth Apprenticeship Program for individuals ages 16 to 24. Requires a report to the Legislature with recommendations on program structure, resource needs, proposed legislation and implementation options. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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EDU, WAM |
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Decision Making to follow, if time permits.
All testimony received by the Hawai‘i Senate is posted on the Hawai‘i Legislature's website, which is accessible to the public. Please do not include private information that you do not want disclosed to the public.
Please go to the Legislature's website, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov, to submit written testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Create a free account on the website, or sign in to an existing account, then click on the "Participate" drop down menu and select the "Submit Testimony" option to get started. While submitting your written testimony, you will be prompted to indicate if you would also like to testify at the hearing in-person or remotely via videoconference.
Please note the following:
· The number of oral testifiers and/or time allotted to each testifier may be limited by the Chair when necessary to adhere to the committee hearing schedule. We may not be able to accommodate everyone who requests to testify orally.
· Testifiers for this hearing will be limited to 1:00 minute each.
If you wish to testify via videoconference during the hearing, please review the detailed step-by-step instructions for testimony procedures before you submit your written testimony. Here's a direct link to the instructions: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/testimonyinstructions.pdf
For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. You can also visit their website at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/par/.
For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email EDUcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.
For amended notices: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored. If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 808-587-7200.
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_____________________________________ Senator Donna Mercado Kim Chair |
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