HB 1496 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Summary

Establishes the position of Ka Papahana Kaiapuni Program Complex Area Superintendent. Requires that at least one at-large member of the Board of Education be a proficient Hawaiian speaking educator, practitioner, or scholar of Hawaiian studies or the Hawaiian language, to be selected from a list of three nominees submitted by the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Clarifies the purpose and objective of the Hawaiian Language Medium Education Program. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Issues: ✓ Education

Sub-Topics: Teachers

Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Feb 14, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1496_HD1 → HB1496_HD2 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill strengthens support for Hawaiian language immersion schools by creating a dedicated superintendent position and a secretary role to provide specialized administrative oversight. It also modifies the Board of Education to require at least one member be a proficient Hawaiian speaker selected through a specific nomination process. The legislation clarifies the purpose of Hawaiian language medium education and appropriates $275,000 annually for the new positions.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of administrative oversight for Hawaiian language immersion programs by establishing a dedicated complex area superintendent and secretary positions, and modifies Board of Education composition requirements to ensure Hawaiian language expertise.

REQUIREMENT

Establishes a new Ka Papahana Kaiapuni program complex area superintendent position to provide centralized administrative oversight for Hawaiian language immersion schools.

Creates a new secretary position to support the Ka Papahana Kaiapuni program complex area superintendent.

Changes Board of Education membership requirements to mandate at least one at-large member be a proficient Hawaiian-speaking educator, practitioner, or scholar, selected from nominees submitted by the Senate president, House speaker, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Amends the complex area superintendent appointment process to require a proficient Hawaiian language speaking superintendent specifically for Ka Papahana Kaiapuni schools.

DEFINITION

Amends the definition of Ka Papahana Kaiapuni to explicitly state it provides education through the medium of the Hawaiian language.

Clarifies the purpose and objectives of the Hawaiian language medium education program to integrate Hawaiian language and culture curricula from preschool to college levels.

FISCAL

Appropriates $200,000 annually for the Ka Papahana Kaiapuni complex area superintendent position and $75,000 annually for the secretary position for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.

Floor votes · House Feb 5, 2025

How they voted

49–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 51

Feb 5, 2025

D Democratic41

41 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

8 Yea 2

80% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 789) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Hashem.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 178) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (49-0-2)

house

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kapela.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

19 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

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Legislator

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State

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