HB 439 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Summary

Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to establish an international teacher license for certain visa holders and the requirements to obtain the international teacher license. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Feb 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB439 → HB439_HD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from a legislative draft to a tracked document version, with substantive policy changes including the addition of new licensing pathways for international teachers, expanded reciprocity requirements, and a new requirement for the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to submit a report on supporting international teachers. The effective date was changed from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 3000, which appears to be a placeholder or error.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly requires the establishment of a visiting international teacher license and expanded reciprocity with all other states, while adding requirements for private school teacher certification plans.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement for the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to submit a report on supporting international teachers by July 1, 2026.

Added a requirement to develop a plan for optional certification for teachers at private schools.

Expanded reciprocity requirements to include all other states rather than just certain states.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 3000, which appears to be a placeholder or error.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a new subsection establishing a visiting international teacher license to promote cultural and educational exchange.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 347) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Muraoka; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, CPC, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

20 primary · 1 co-sponsor