# Hawaii SB 494: RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Hawaii SB 494, RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-30 (Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1493-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending referral to FIN.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB494-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 494
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2026-03-30, Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1493-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending referral to FIN.
- Sponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Subjects: Auditor, Charter Schools, State Public Charter School Commission, Financial Audit, Report, Appropriation, EDN, LMG, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (106 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## 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)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kurt Fevella (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dru Mamo Kanuha (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-25 | House | The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-20 | House | Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on LMG with none voting a... | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-19 | House | The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 10 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-26 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-07 | Senate | The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (26)

- 2026-03-30: Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1493-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending referral to FIN. (House)
- 2026-03-30: 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). (House)
- 2026-03-25: 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. (House)
- 2026-03-23: Bill scheduled to be heard by LMG on Wednesday, 03-25-26 2:00PM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1294-26), recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LMG. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on LMG with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). (House)
- 2026-03-19: 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. (House)
- 2026-03-17: Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 03-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-11: The committee(s) on EDN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 03-11-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to EDN, LMG, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: 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. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 164) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 920) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: 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. (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 345) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: 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. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 3:08PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to EDU, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Passed First Reading. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_.PDF)
- SB494_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_HD1_.HTM)
- SB494_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_SD1_.HTM)
- SB494_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

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

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_.PDF)
- [SB494_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB494_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB494_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB494_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 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 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB494-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).