Informing the Legislature that on May 30, 2025, the Governor signed the following bill into law: HB961 HD1 SD1 CD1 (ACT 135).

HB961 (Act 135) establishes a two-year pilot program to address librarian shortages in Hawaii public schools. It allocates $132,308 to fund two full-time equivalent (FTE) certified librarian positions - one for a school complex on Oahu and one for a school complex on a neighbor island - starting July 1, 2025. The program requires the Department of Education to report findings and recommendations to the legislature before the 2026 and 2027 sessions, with a final recommendation on extension by 2027. This directly affects 258 public elementary/middle/high schools, as only 75 had librarian positions in 2025.