SB 2125 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO TEACHER LICENSING.

Summary

Allows the Department of Education and charter schools to hire unlicensed individuals as teachers on an emergency basis for five, rather than three, years. Requires that unlicensed teachers hired on an emergency basis make continuous and verifiable progress toward satisfying licensing requirements. Sunsets on 6/30/2031, but provides that unlicensed emergency hires employed before the sunset date may continue employment for up to five years from their hiring date, under certain conditions. (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Signed May 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2125_HD2 → SB2125_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the emergency hiring rules for unlicensed teachers in Hawaii, extending the maximum employment period from three years to five years. It also adjusts the sunset date for the law from June 30, 2031, to remove the automatic repeal provision. Additionally, the bill changes the authorship details and template version numbers to reflect its progression from the House to the Senate.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the duration of emergency hiring for unlicensed teachers was expanded from a three-year limit to a five-year limit.

TIMELINE

Extended the maximum duration for hiring unlicensed teachers on an emergency basis from three years to five years.

Removed the provision that automatically repeals the Act on June 30, 2031, and reenacts the old statute.

TECHNICAL

Updated author names, bill version numbers, and template identifiers to reflect the transition from House to Senate.

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

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Garcia, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Belatti, Garrett, Iwamoto, Perruso voting no (4) and Representative(s) Alcos excused (1).

lower

May 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.

upper

May 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 208-26) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

May 1, 2026

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.

upper

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 208-26).

upper

May 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, Lee, M., La Chica, Olds, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama.

lower

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCorte.

upper

May 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 4:00PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-30-26 1:34PM; Conference Room 229.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 627).

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Matsumoto, Poepoe voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garrett, Iwamoto, Muraoka, Perruso voting no (5) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1463-26), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kong; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1289-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Muraoka; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDN, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 15

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 15) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Kidani). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Committee

Re-Referred to EDU.

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.

upper

Jan 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

2 primary · 1 co-sponsor