Education

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1277: RELATING TO FINANCIAL LITERACY.

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires the Department of Education to develop and implement a statewide financial literacy curricula plan for public high schools. Requires all public high schools to offer instruction in financial literacy as a requirement for graduation. Requires the Department of Education to provide professional development to teachers on financial literacy. Requires the Board of Education to adopt administrative rules to implement the financial literacy education curriculum.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates financial literacy curriculum as graduation requirement, enhancing student financial education and teacher training per bill's explicit requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

Track

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Jan 21, 2026

SB 171: RELATING TO ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION.

SB 171 expands the Hawaii Community College Promise Program to provide scholarships to all qualified students attending community colleges in Hawaii, directly affecting eligible residents seeking affordable higher education. The bill appropriates state funds to cover tuition and fees for qualifying students, removing previous restrictions that limited eligibility. Key provisions include broadening access beyond current program participants and ensuring state funding supports this expanded coverage. This policy change aims to increase college affordability for a wider range of Hawaii students without altering academic requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands Hawaii Community College Promise Program to all qualified students via state funding, removing eligibility restrictions to broaden higher education access and coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 636: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO.

Appropriates funds for one retention coordinator position, one internship coordinator position, and student enrollment management initiatives at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates funds for retention/internship coordinators and enrollment initiatives at UH Hilo, directly enhancing student support services and access in higher education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 646: RELATING TO SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Education to assign school resource officers or guards to serve at public elementary schools and state prekindergarten programs. Requires report to the Legislature. Requires the Department of Education to seek funding from federal grants. Appropriates funds.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates funds for school resource officers in K-12 schools, enhancing safety infrastructure and protecting students/staff within educational settings.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

Track

passed · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 864: RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible for workers' compensation coverage during the summer following their high school graduation while participating in Department of Education-sponsored work-based learning programs. Requires an annual report. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enables students in DOE work-based learning programs to access workers' comp, enhancing safety and participation in educational internships.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends workers' compensation coverage to high school graduates in work-based learning programs, protecting them from work injury risks during summer employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education K-12 Education Child Labor Workers' Compensation

Track

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 844: RELATING TO MEDIA LITERACY.

Authorizes school complexes to incorporate media literacy in their standards-based curriculum, including content that prevents negative impacts of misinformation, disinformation, digital discrimination, and online hate speech.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAuthorizes media literacy integration into standards-based curriculum to address misinformation, strengthening educational content and digital citizenship standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

Track

passed · Hawaii · House Mar 20, 2026

HB 2534: RELATING TO ROBOTICS.

HB 2534 would appropriate state funds to the Department of Education to establish robotics as an official interscholastic sport for public high schools. If passed, it would allow schools to form competitive robotics teams under state guidelines, with the Department developing program rules by July 1, 3000. The bill directly affects public high school students and athletic programs by creating a new competitive category. It is currently pending in the Education Committee after passing committee recommendations with amendments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds to fund robotics as a new interscholastic sport, directly allocating public budget resources for education programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates state funds to establish robotics as a competitive interscholastic sport, expanding student program opportunities in K-12 education under DOE oversight.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

Track

passed both · Hawaii · Senate Apr 17, 2026

SB 657: RELATING TO THE CENTER FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT.

Appropriates funds for the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology within the University of Hawaii at Manoa to establish and operate a Center for Climate Resilient Development. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates funds to establish a university center, directly funding higher education infrastructure per bill's summary.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAppropriates funds to establish a climate resilience center focused on climate change adaptation, directly advancing environmental protection efforts through dedicated funding and research.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1530: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Requires the Board of Regents or the President of the University of Hawaii to allocate general funds appropriated to the University of Hawaii to University of Hawaii program IDs in accordance with performance-based outcomes relating to student achievement and degree attainment. Requires the President to submit reports to the Legislature. Requires the President to propose at least three efficiency measures to the Director of Finance to produce a more effective budget.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates performance-based funding for UH tied to student achievement and degree attainment, directing resources toward measurable educational outcomes.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 1471: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Imposes an additional fee for a certificate of registration for motor vehicles, to be deposited into the Safe Routes to School Program Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes additional vehicle registration fee to fund Safe Routes to School Program, directly advancing public service funding under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds Safe Routes to School Program Special Fund, enhancing student transportation access to schools, directly supporting educational access through infrastructure.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill imposes motor vehicle registration fee to fund Safe Routes to School transportation safety program, directly advancing infrastructure for student transportation.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Transportation Funding Vehicle Registration

Track