# Hawaii HB 1997: RELATING TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

Hawaii HB 1997, RELATING TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-02-20 (Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 604-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1997-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 1997
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-02-20, Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 604-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.
- Sponsor: Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Subjects: DOE, IDEA, IEP, Section 504 Plans, Students with Disabilities, Emergency Situations, Evacuation Plans, EDN, PBS, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (70 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Authorizes the inclusion of provisions addressing individualized accommodations and supports during emergency situations and evacuations in individualized education programs and section 504 plans for students with disabilities. Requires support and guidance from the Department of Education. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Terez Amato (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY
- Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gregg Takayama (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-18 | House | The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS... | pass | 51 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (11)

- 2026-02-20: Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 604-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA. (House)
- 2026-02-20: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). (House)
- 2026-02-18: The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-02-13: Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-18-26 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-12: Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 205-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS. (House)
- 2026-02-12: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). (House)
- 2026-02-10: 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. (House)
- 2026-02-06: Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 02-10-26 2:15PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-28: Referred to EDN, PBS, JHA, referral sheet 3 (House)
- 2026-01-26: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-23: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_HD2_.pdf)
- HB1997_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_HD1_.HTM)
- HB1997_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_HD2_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_HD2_.pdf)
- [HB1997_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB1997_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_HD2_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1997_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1997-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).