HB 245 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO STUDENT HEAT EXPOSURE SAFETY.

Summary

Requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health and State Public Charter School Commission, to conduct a study on the current practices of managing heat exposure in state public and charter schools to protect students' health during outdoor activities and to develop a plan if the current practices are insufficient in managing heat exposure. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB245 → HB245_HD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly revised to shift from immediately funding and mandating heat safety guidelines to first conducting a study. The original version required the Department of Education to create statewide rules and buy thermometers right away, while the new version delays action until after a study is completed to determine if current practices are insufficient. This change removes immediate financial obligations for purchasing equipment and rule-making, replacing them with a requirement to assess the situation before taking further steps.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from an immediate mandate for all public and charter schools to a conditional process. The new version requires a study involving the Department of Health and the State Public Charter School Commission before any guidelines or plans are developed.

FISCAL

Removed immediate appropriation of $20,000 for developing guidelines and $20,000 for purchasing wet-bulb globe thermometers.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the Department of Education to conduct a study on current heat exposure practices in collaboration with the Department of Health and State Public Charter School Commission.

Removed the immediate requirement to develop and implement statewide heat exposure guidelines.

Added a requirement to assess the ongoing costs of implementing guidelines and maintenance as part of the study.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000, and set a deadline to submit the study findings to the legislature by the convening of the 2026 regular session.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 573), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Chun, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 49) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HLT.

lower

Jan 28, 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, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, HLT, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

14 primary · 0 co-sponsors