HawaiiSB 21252025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)Senate

RELATING TO TEACHER LICENSING.

Sponsored By: Lynn DeCoite (Democratic)

Passed

Summary

Allows the Department of Education to hire unlicensed individuals as teachers on an emergency basis for five, rather than three, years. Requires that unlicensed teachers hired on an emergency basis make continuous and verifiable progress toward satisfying licensing requirements. Sunsets on 6/30/2031. (HD2)

DOETeacher LicensingEmergency HireExemptionsLicensure ProgressEDN, LAB, FIN

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Bill Overview

No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Lynn DeCoite

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Troy N. Hashimoto

    Democratic • Senate

  • Glenn Wakai

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 123 • No: 5

House vote 4/14/2026

House Floor Vote

Yes: 45 • No: 5

House vote 3/20/2026

Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB...

Yes: 50 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/25/2026

Senate Floor Vote

Yes: 24 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/4/2026

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...

Yes: 4 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Hashimoto, DeCorte.

    4/20/2026Senate
  2. Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 714).

    4/20/2026House
  3. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 627).

    4/16/2026Senate
  4. Senate disagrees with House amendments.

    4/16/2026Senate
  5. Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).

    4/16/2026House
  6. Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Matsumoto, Poepoe voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garrett, Iwamoto, Muraoka, Perruso voting no (5) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

    4/14/2026House
  7. Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2107-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.

    4/10/2026House
  8. Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.

    4/10/2026House
  9. The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Perruso, Alcos; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey.

    4/8/2026House
  10. The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-08-26.

    4/7/2026House
  11. Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 04-08-26 1:57PM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

    4/7/2026House
  12. Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

    4/2/2026House
  13. Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1463-26), recommending referral to FIN.

    3/30/2026House
  14. Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).

    3/30/2026House
  15. The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kong; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

    3/24/2026House
  16. Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1289-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.

    3/20/2026House
  17. Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).

    3/20/2026House
  18. Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

    3/20/2026House
  19. 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, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Muraoka; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

    3/19/2026House
  20. Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 03-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

    3/17/2026House
  21. Referred to EDN, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 15

    3/10/2026House
  22. Pass First Reading

    3/5/2026House
  23. Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Kidani). Transmitted to House.

    2/25/2026Senate
  24. Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 15) in amended form (SD 1).

    2/25/2026House
  25. Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2705) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.

    2/23/2026Senate

Bill Text

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