SB 494 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Summary

Requires the Auditor to conduct a financial audit of each charter school under the State Public Charter School Commission. Requires a report to the Legislature. Requires the State Public Charter School Commission to take action based on the Auditor's recommendations. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB494_SD1 → SB494_SD2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised to shift responsibility for auditing charter schools from the Department of Budget and Finance to the State Auditor. A new requirement was added for the State Public Charter School Commission to take action based on the auditor's recommendations. The funding description was updated to reflect the new responsible agency, and the bill's version number was updated from SD1 to SD2.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a mandatory action step for the State Public Charter School Commission to implement recommendations from the audit report.

REQUIREMENT

Responsibility for conducting the financial audit was transferred from the Department of Budget and Finance to the State Auditor.

A new requirement was added for the State Public Charter School Commission to take action on the auditor's recommendations within one year of the report submission.

FISCAL

The appropriation language was updated to specify that funds are for the auditor rather than the Department of Budget and Finance.

TECHNICAL

The bill version was updated from SD1 to SD2, and metadata regarding authors and dates was changed.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1493-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ichiyama, Kahaloa, Morikawa; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Matsumoto.

lower

Mar 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1294-26), recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LMG.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, LMG, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 164) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 345) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Kim, Hashimoto, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 3:08PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

5 primary · 1 co-sponsor