Requires the Department of Education to develop and implement a statewide Artificial Intelligence Literacy Curricula Plan for students in eleventh and twelfth grades, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year as a condition for graduation. Establishes the Advisory Council for Artificial Intelligence Education. Establishes a three-year Artificial Intelligence Education Grant Pilot Program within the Department of Education. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
Makes an emergency appropriation for fiscal year 2025–2026 to the University of Hawaii to expand and sustain the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study and Maui Health Registry.
Establishes the Hawaii Climate Institute at the University of Hawaii to support climate resilience and adaptation initiatives of the University and the State. Requires a percentage of the revenue generated by any increase to the Transient Accommodations Tax rates beginning on January 1, 2026, and by assessment of the Transient Accommodations Tax on gross rental proceeds derived from cruise fares to be allocated to the University of Hawaii annually to support the programs and operations of the Hawaii Climate Institute. Transfers the International Pacific Research Center of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology to the Hawaii Climate Institute. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Requires the Department of Education to establish a student bus fare rate system that includes free school bus passes for students who meet certain statutory requirements. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)
Requires the Department of Education to hire a new contractor or contractors with the Governor's approval if a contractor under a student transportation contract fails to provide service on a contracted route for five or more consecutive instructional days. Requires the DOE to assess a penalty if a contractor fails to provide service on a contracted route without an approved justification. Specifies that the assessed penalties be deposited into the School Bus Fare Revolving Fund. Beginning 7/1/2026, requires all requests for proposals issued and contracts executed by the DOE for student transportation services to specifically reference certain new provisions. Authorizes the use of the School Bus Fare Revolving Fund to offset costs associated with procuring replacement services. Requires quarterly reports to the Legislature. (SD1)
Requires the Department of Education to administer a general dyslexia screening to all students in kindergarten through grade three. Requires the Department of Education to continue to administer the general English language arts universal screening for students in kindergarten through grade nine. Requires the Department of Education to collaborate with teacher training programs to ensure prospective candidates are trained on literacy instruction, including evidence-based intervention, to support all students. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Requires the School Facilities Authority to establish a school modernization initiative through a capital improvement project planning database for school facilities statewide. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
SB 2181 would require public schools in the state to increase the minimum number of instructional hours for students starting with the 2027-2028 school year. This change directly affects all public K-12 schools, as it mandates longer school days or additional instructional days to meet the new standard. The bill specifies the exact hour requirement but does not detail how schools must implement the increase. The measure is currently pending committee review after being introduced in January 2026.
Establishes an exemption from applicable county permit requirements for repetitive construction projects for facilities under the control of any state department or agency, under certain conditions. Clarifies that, except for projects in special flood hazard areas, contracts for the construction, renovation, or repair of facilities under the control of the Department of Education, University of Hawaii, or School Facilities Authority shall be exempt from county permitting requirements that related off-site improvements be made by the contracting government agency as a condition to the issuance of any permit. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Clarifies the roles and responsibilities for capital improvement projects at the 12 dual-use public and school libraries statewide. Clarifies that, after the Board of Education authorizes the State Librarian to make capital improvements to a public and school library facility, and the Legislature appropriates funding for the project, the Department of Education shall work expeditiously with the State Librarian to ensure timely use of the appropriated moneys.
