SCR 154 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ADD TAX INSTRUCTION TO ITS FINANCIAL LITERACY GRADUATION REQUIREMENT.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the Hawaii Department of Education to add tax instruction to the state's financial literacy graduation requirement for public school students. The bill recommends that tax education cover practical topics such as completing a 1040 tax form, understanding W-4 forms, payroll deductions, and federal versus state income taxes. While the resolution does not mandate changes, it formally requests that the Department of Education incorporate tax literacy as a major topic area alongside existing financial education standards. The measure is intended to ensure students gain comprehensive knowledge about personal finances, including tax responsibilities, before graduating from high school.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 16, 2026 Last action Apr 10, 2026
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What changed between versions

SCR154 SCR154_SD1 · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill was renumbered from SCR 154 to SCR 154 SD1 and updated to reflect the 2026 legislative session. The text was edited to clarify that tax instruction is now a required part of the financial literacy graduation mandate, and the recipients of the resolution were updated to include the Chairperson of the Board of Education and the Assistant Superintendent.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include tax instruction as a mandatory component of the financial literacy graduation requirement, and the distribution list for the resolution was broadened to include additional education officials.
REQUIREMENT

Clarified that tax instruction must be included as a major topic area within the required financial literacy graduation requirement.

Updated the list of recipients for the resolution to include the Chairperson of the Board of Education and the Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title and metadata to reflect the 2026 session and the new SD1 designation.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
4
Committee
5
Apr 10, 2026
Committee
Referred to EDN, referral sheet 28
lower
Apr 9, 2026
Introduced
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 489) in amended form (SD 1).
lower
Apr 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report and Resolution Adopted, as amended (SD 1). Transmitted to House.
upper
Apr 8, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3598) with recommendation of adoption, as amended (SD 1).
upper
Apr 8, 2026
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) Kim, Kidani, Fukunaga, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
upper
Apr 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 04-08-26 1:03PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
upper
Mar 19, 2026
Committee
Referred to EDU.
upper
Mar 16, 2026
Introduced
Offered.
upper
3 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors