HB 620 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Summary

Establishes braille literacy as a policy of the State. Requires literacy assessments for eligible low vision and blind students to include braille instruction and the use of braille. Authorizes the Department of Education to adopt administrative rules. Establishes the Braille Literacy Resource Center. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Apr 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB620_HD1 → HB620_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised to broaden its scope from exclusively serving blind students to including students with low vision, ensuring equitable access to braille literacy education for both groups. The text was updated to cite specific federal laws and studies supporting the necessity of braille literacy for life satisfaction and employment, and the effective date was moved from the distant future to 2050.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was expanded from 'eligible blind students' to 'eligible low vision or blind students', ensuring that students with low vision are explicitly included in the requirements for braille literacy services.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded eligibility criteria to include students with low vision alongside blind students, ensuring both groups receive equitable educational opportunities.

REQUIREMENT

Added detailed requirements for assessing student needs and documenting specific visual functioning behaviors, reading/writing skills, and future needs for braille instruction.

DEFINITION

Updated definitions of 'Braille educational services' and 'Eligible student' to reflect the inclusion of low vision and align with existing state statutes.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 2050.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 6:20PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 5:55PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 5:35PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 4:40PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 2:50PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 1:30PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Thursday, 04-24-25 3:05PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 659) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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.

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-02-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1088) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 10, 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

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-10-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 260).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 346) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

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

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

19 primary · 0 co-sponsors