SB 421 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO LITERACY.

Summary

Requires the Department of Education to administer a general dyslexia screening to all students in kindergarten through grade three. Requires the Department of Education to continue to administer the general English language arts universal screening for students in kindergarten through grade nine. Requires the Department of Education to collaborate with teacher training programs to ensure prospective candidates are trained on literacy instruction, including evidence-based intervention, to support all students. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Feb 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB421 → SB421_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill was converted from a formal Senate bill format into a structured amendment document (SD1) containing the same substantive policy provisions. The core legislative content remains unchanged, focusing on dyslexia screening requirements, structured literacy instruction, and teacher training. The primary difference is the document format rather than policy substance.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; the policy provisions remain identical to the original version.

TECHNICAL

Document format changed from standard Senate bill layout to structured amendment markup (SD1) with metadata headers and formatting codes.

Page numbering and header/footer formatting were reorganized to match amendment document standards.

POLICY

All substantive policy provisions including dyslexia screening requirements, intervention frameworks, and appropriations remain identical to the original bill.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 344) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 3:08PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

12 primary · 2 co-sponsors