HB 1925 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CLIMATE EDUCATION.

Summary

Authorizes the Department of Education to establish a climate literacy certificate program to provide students with an advanced understanding of climate change through academic coursework and hands-on learning. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Mar 10, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB1925 → HB1925_HD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to shift from requiring the Department of Education to create a climate literacy certificate program to authorizing the department to do so, giving officials flexibility to decide if the program is necessary. Additionally, the effective date was changed from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 3000, which appears to be a clerical error or placeholder rather than an intentional delay. The report submission requirement was also slightly modified to remove the word 'the' before 'legislature'.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from mandatory implementation to optional authorization, allowing the Department of Education to choose whether to establish the climate literacy certificate program.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the mandate for the Department of Education to establish a climate literacy certificate program to a permission, allowing the department to decide whether to create the program.

Removed the word 'the' before 'legislature' in the requirement for the department to submit a report on the program.

TIMELINE

Altered the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 3000, likely indicating a placeholder date that needs correction.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 167).

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Kong, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (5) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Alcos; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 315-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 10, 2026

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, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

17 primary · 0 co-sponsors