HB 439 Hawaii House · 2026 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 Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB439 → HB439_HD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill revision adds a requirement for the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to submit a report on supporting international J-1 visa teachers by February 2026. It also changes the effective date of the new international teacher license provisions to July 1, 3000, likely as a placeholder for future legislative action. The core policy regarding the creation of a new license category remains unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope is effectively narrowed or delayed by moving the implementation date to July 1, 3000, and adding a reporting requirement before that date.

TIMELINE

Added a requirement for the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to submit a report to the legislature by February 2026 regarding support for international J-1 teachers.

Changed the effective date of the new international teacher license provisions from 'upon approval' to 'July 1, 3000'.

TECHNICAL

Updated document metadata, including the bill title, author name, and various internal tracking numbers and dates.

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