This Senate Resolution requests the State Auditor to conduct a comprehensive performance and fiscal audit of the Department of Education's governance structure and administrative leadership in Hawaii. The audit will examine the roles, responsibilities, staffing, and costs associated with key leadership positions including the State Superintendent, Deputy Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, and Complex Area Superintendents. The review aims to evaluate whether the current organizational structure effectively supports the Department's strategic goals, identify any overlapping responsibilities, and provide recommendations for improving administrative efficiency and accountability. The Auditor will submit a detailed report with findings and potential legislative recommendations to the Legislature before the start of the 2027 session.
This bill requests the Hawaii Department of Education to create a standardized bell schedule framework for public schools across the state. The proposed framework would organize school start and end times by level - elementary, middle, and high school - while still allowing local flexibility and meeting minimum instructional hour requirements. The bill requires the department to consult with school administrators, teachers, parents, students, and transportation providers during development. This initiative aims to address current inconsistencies in school schedules that affect transportation, staffing, family logistics, and coordination with community programs.
This Senate Resolution asks Hawaii's Insurance Commissioner to study how expanding mail-order pharmacy services could benefit residents. The study would examine impacts on medication adherence, cost savings, access for rural and disabled populations, and system reliability during emergencies. It does not change current laws but requests a report with findings and recommendations to be submitted to the Legislature by early 2027.
This Senate Resolution asks Hawaii's Department of Education to create a standardized bell schedule framework for all public schools in the state. The proposal aims to address current inconsistencies in school start and end times that create challenges for families, transportation planning, and coordination with community programs. The framework would organize schedules by school level - elementary, middle, and high school - while allowing local flexibility within state instructional hour requirements. The Department of Education is directed to consult with school administrators, teachers, parents, students, and transportation providers during the development process.
This Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Education to create a system that assigns responsibility for monitoring school construction and repair projects to local school leaders in each complex area. Under this proposal, local Complex Area Superintendents and their staff would oversee project progress from planning through completion, while the state Office of Facilities and Operations would keep overall management authority and provide statewide oversight. The resolution requires local leaders to submit quarterly reports on project status, budget, and any delays to the state office, which would then review the reports and offer technical assistance. The Department of Education must also develop clear procedures defining roles and responsibilities for all parties and report back to the Legislature by early 2027 with details on the new framework.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to provide a written update on how it has implemented the Hawaii Electric Reliability Administrator, a role created in 2012 to oversee electric system reliability and interconnection processes. The request specifically seeks information on which reliability functions the Commission has committed to implementing since 2022, when state law required a study on interconnection delays and the establishment of this administrator. The resolution is based on concerns that renewable energy projects face significant delays and that the state may face capacity shortfalls, prompting the legislature to request transparency on progress toward this oversight role.
This Senate resolution urges the Hawaii Department of Education and Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to create a joint plan connecting local farmers with the new AINA Kitchen Network, which will supply school meals statewide. The plan would identify specific crops needed at each construction phase, assess current local production capacity, and develop strategies to help farmers scale operations through infrastructure investment and multi-year contracts. It also calls for replacing handwritten procurement records with a centralized digital tracking system to improve oversight and ensure schools meet their 30% local food sourcing target by 2030.
This Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to merge two existing adult education schools, McKinley Community School for Adults and Waipahu Community School for Adults, into one statewide program called the Hawaii State Community School for Adults. The bill aims to improve program coordination, streamline operations, and better serve adult learners by creating a unified system that maintains current services while expanding access across the state. The resolution directs the Department to consult with affected employees and their representatives before implementation, develop a transition plan to minimize disruptions, and set a target start date of July 1, 2026.
This Senate Resolution requests that Hawaii's Board of Education work with the Department of Education to make completing a standalone financial literacy course a graduation requirement for public high school students. The bill specifically asks for a formal vote to approve this requirement, teacher professional development credits, identification of funding sources, tracking of student completion, and a curriculum plan based on community input. It argues that a dedicated course is more effective than integrating financial literacy into other subjects or the Personal Transition Plan, citing evidence that financial skills improve with focused instruction. The resolution reflects concerns about declining financial literacy among younger generations and the potential long-term benefits of ensuring all students receive practical financial education.
This bill urges the Hawaii Department of Education to add tax instruction as a major topic area within the state's existing financial literacy graduation requirement for public school students. The resolution specifically recommends that tax education cover practical skills such as completing a 1040 form, understanding W-4 forms, payroll deductions, and the differences between federal and state income taxes. As a Senate resolution, the bill does not create new legal requirements but instead formally requests the Department of Education to incorporate these tax concepts into the financial literacy standards already in place for students starting with the Class of 2030.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to combine the McKinley and Waipahu Community Schools for Adults into one statewide program called the Hawaii State Community School for Adults. The bill aims to improve coordination, streamline operations, and better serve adult learners by creating a unified system that maintains current services while expanding program quality. It directs the Department to consult with employee representatives, develop a transition plan to minimize disruption, and target a July 1, 2026 start date for the new unified program.
This Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to conduct an independent analysis of energy strategies that reduce costs and financial risks for residents while meeting state goals. The bill directs the commission to evaluate various options through 2055, including renewable energy and long-duration storage technologies, without limiting the scope to specific fuel types or pre-set assumptions. The analysis aims to compare different approaches to energy generation and storage to inform future planning and ensure decisions benefit the public interest.
