RELATING TO THE ALOHA SPIRIT, CIVICS, AND DEMOCRACY.

HB1436

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1436

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the aloha spirit, civics, and democracy
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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The legislature finds that American democracy
and its political and social institutions have long served as models for
democratic governance in the free world.
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In 2024, United States voters favored decisive
autocratic leadership slightly more than democratic governance by consensus,
among other things.
�
On the federal level
and in thirty-seven states, full partisan control of legislative chambers and
governorships enable passage of legislation without the need for compromise or
consensus.

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The
legislature further finds that Hawaii residents overwhelming support the "Aloha
Spirit" and its values, as recognized under state law.
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Hawaii's preference for values-based
governance and civic life offers a balanced approach to complement some
national leaders' "America First" philosophy.
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The legislature believes that Hawaii has an
opportunity to contribute to humankind by sharing the "Aloha Spirit"
with America and the world, as contemplated when the law was adopted in 1986.

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The
legislature also finds that political polarization in America has intensified,
deepening the discord between progressive and conservative social norms and
widening the gap of mutual understanding.
�
The legislature believes that Hawaii can offer
a divided America a way to understand mutuality through examples of living the
Aloha Spirit:
�
with personal
responsibility, mutual caring, and respect for our common existence.
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As the State recovers from the COVID-19
pandemic, stories from Hawaii will be told of reorganizing rule-based institutions
to align with the caring values of Aloha.

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While
economic and political systems may take decades to truly value human capital
and worth, many Hawaii residents and Native Hawaiians are already living
individual and collective lives with the Aloha Spirit.
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The legislature believes the State should
assist this values movement by providing educational resources to foster a
civic ethos and social conditions to sustain the Aloha Spirit.
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The State should also build community
consensus for a preferred Hawaii future in the global economy, such as becoming
a values-based economic community and global enterprise.

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The
legislature also finds that the rule of law can limit harmful behavior, punish
misdeeds, and deter unethical conduct, but that laws alone cannot sustain
democracy nor lead to collaboration or creative problem-solving.
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Instead, the civic values and norms of a
community guide its leaders and form the foundation of a functioning democracy.

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The legislature believes that a civics
program based on the values of Aloha is necessary to sustain a healthy
democracy in Hawaii, especially in these times of polarization and strife.

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The
legislature believes that Aloha has, and continues to be, the guiding principle
in Hawaiian culture.
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Aloha connects the
people who live in the Hawaiian islands, and may serve as an aspiration for
people new to the State.
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Aloha is
central to civic life in Hawaii, where mutual caring is a tradition, and what
sustains our democracy.
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The legislature
believes that democracy is a collective expression of Aloha and the way the
people of Hawaii share lives together.

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To
bring the Aloha Spirit into everyday life in the State, the legislature
believes that an independent, community-based civics collaborative should
facilitate a state civics program and coordinate its educational, engagement,
and other components.
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The collaborative
should be composed of a cross sector of civic organizations and leaders,
including the PACE (promote and advance civic education) Commission.
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Support for the collaborative can come from
legislative appropriations, internal budgets of participating groups and
agencies, and from private sector grants.

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The
legislature believes that a state civics program should provide Hawaii
residents with civic competencies useful in employment, volunteer, and civic
programs.
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People who learn and practice
advanced civics skills should have, among participating organizations,
preferred status in hiring public-facing employees, community grantmaking
programs, and procurement of civic services.
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The civics program should also include
workshops on government processes, monitoring of boards and commissions by
volunteers, media literacy and storytelling programs, training for civic
leadership, community improvement projects, and neighborhood support for
vulnerable persons.

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The
legislature further finds that two full-time department of education civic
education specialists and additional funds for the legislature's public access room
would enable enhanced coordination of civics programs, including student
government leadership classes; student and youth programs, conferences, and
activities; democracy schools and kindness curricula; school newspapers and
student journalists; and volunteers for field trips and community projects.
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The legislature also believes that nonprofit
organizations should, where practicable, provide civics education funded by
legislative and philanthropic grants.

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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to:

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(1)
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Establish the Hawaii civics
collaborative, administratively attached to the department of accounting and general
services, supported by government and private grants and personnel from
participating agencies and organizations, chaired by a joint appointee of the
presiding officers of the legislature, and composed of a cross sector of civic
organizations and leaders, including the PACE Commission and members selected
by leaders of state government, the university of Hawaii, department of
education, and office of Hawaiian affairs;

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(2)
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Authorize the Hawaii civics
collaborative to coordinate a state civics program that includes educational
courses, workshops, and other learning opportunities to educate residents on
the purpose, history, processes, and public engagement practices of democracy,
and workshops on government processes, monitoring of boards and commissions by
volunteers, media literacy and storytelling programs, training for civic
leadership, community improvement projects, and neighborhood support for
vulnerable persons;

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(3)
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Certify the completion of civics
courses that may be used for employment, volunteer, and civic project purposes
and provide special civics designations for graduates of advanced civics
programs who receive from participating organizations preference in hiring,
grant applications, and procurement of services;

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(4)
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Appropriate funds to establish two
full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) civic education specialists to support the civic
education program in the department of education and to enable enhanced civics
programming by the legislature's public access room;

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(5)
�
Authorize the civics collaborative to
coordinate student and youth civic programs, including student government
leadership classes; student and youth programs, conferences, and activities;
democracy schools and kindness curricula; school newspapers and student
journalists; and volunteers for field trips and community projects; and

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(6)
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Coordinate with nonprofit organizations
that provide civics education to participate in the state civics program,
cross-sector civic collaboratives, joint internship fellowship and leader
training programs, and the university of Hawaii Matsunaga institute of peace
and the United Nations global citizen education program.

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SECTION

2
.
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Chapter 27,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to part I to be
appropriately designated and to read as follows:

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"
�27-
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Hawaii civics collaborative.
�
(a)
�
There
is established the Hawaii civics collaborative, which shall be organized as a
private nonprofit organization and registered in the State.
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The Hawaii civics collaborative shall be attached
to the department of accounting and general services for administrative
purposes only.

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(b)
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The collaborative shall be
composed of the following members:

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(1)
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Members of the PACE Commission;

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(2)
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One appointee by each of the following:

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(A)
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Governor;

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(B)
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Lieutenant governor;

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(C)
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Chief justice;

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(D)
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President of the senate;

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(E)
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Speaker of the house of representatives;

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(F)
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Superintendent of education;

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(G)
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President of the university of
Hawaii; and

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(H)
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Chairperson of the office of
Hawaiian Affairs board of trustees;

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(3)
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Other members invited by the Hawaii
civics collaborative; and

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(4)
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The chairperson of the collaborative shall be
appointed jointly by the president of the senate and speaker of the house of
representatives.

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(c)
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The duties of the Hawaii
civics collaborative shall include but not be limited to the following:

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(1)
�
Coordinate the state civics program to
include educational courses, workshops, and other learning opportunities to
educate residents on the purpose, history, processes, and public engagement
practices of democracy;

����
(2)
�
Conduct workshops on government
processes, monitoring of boards and commissions by volunteers, media literacy
and storytelling programs, training for civic leadership, community improvement
projects, and neighborhood support for vulnerable persons;

����
(3)
�
Certify the completion of civics
courses that may be used for employment, volunteer, and civic project purposes,
including special civics designations for advanced civics programs that receive
preference in hiring, grant applications, and procurement of services from
participating organizations;

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(4)
�
Coordinate participation in the
civics program of diverse organizations, including the department of education,
public access room, university of Hawaii Matsunaga institute for peace;
leadership programs such as fellowships and internships; other grantmaking
organizations, nonprofit groups, and socially responsible corporations; United
Nations global citizen education program; and other interested organizations;
and

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(5)
�
Coordinate student and youth civic
programs, including student government leadership classes; student and youth
programs, conferences, and activities; democracy schools and kindness
curricula; school newspapers and student journalists; and volunteers for field
trips and community projects.

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�27-
�
State civics program.
�
(a)
�
There is established a state
civics program that shall include educational courses, workshops, and other
learning opportunities.
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The program
shall have course objectives, including:

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(1)
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Understanding the purpose of
democracy;

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(2)
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Studying the history of democracy
and its context;

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(3)
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Learning the processes in democratic
decision-making;

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(4)
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Enhancing
media literacy; and

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(5)
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Facilitating engagement in civic and
policy-making activities.

Participants
may also be invited to live and practice the "Aloha Spirit" in their
daily lives, organizations, civic projects, and by sharing their experience of "Aloha".

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(b)
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The state civics program shall
include the following initiatives:

����
(1)
�
Educational courses, workshops, and
other learning opportunities to educate residents on the purpose, history,
processes, and public engagement practices of democracy;

����
(2)
�
Workshops on government processes,
monitoring of boards and commissions by volunteers, media literacy and
storytelling programs, training for civic leadership, community improvement
projects, and neighborhood support for vulnerable persons;

����
(3)
�
Civics courses for employment,
volunteer, and civic project purposes, and special civics designations for
advanced civics programs for preference in hiring, grant applications, and
procurement of services from participating organizations;

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(4)
�
Participation of the department of
education, public access room, university of Hawaii Matsunaga institute for
peace; leadership programs such as fellowships and internships; nonprofit
organizations and socially responsible corporations; and the United Nations global
citizen education program; and

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(5)
�
Student and youth civic programs,
student government leadership classes, and student and youth programs,
conferences, and activities; democracy schools and kindness curricula; school
newspapers and student journalists; and volunteers for field trips and
community projects.

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(c)
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For the purposes of this section, "Aloha
Spirit" has the same meaning as defined in section 5-7.5.
"

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SECTION

3
.
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Section 27-1,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

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"
�27-1
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Functions of statewide concern.
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The purpose of the chapter is to fix responsibility for certain
functions, which are of statewide concern, in the state government.
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These functions which are declared to be state
functions are as follows:

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(1)
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Planning, construction, improvement and
maintenance of public school facilities and grounds and the transportation of
school children; provided that nothing in this paragraph shall preclude the
several counties from expending their own funds to supplement state funds;

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(2)
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Burial of indigents;

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(3)
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Planning, construction, improvement,
maintenance, and operation of public hospitals and other public health and
medical facilities;

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(4)
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Rendering of medical treatment and
hospitalization services to state and county pensioners;

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(5)
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Administration and operation of
district courts; [
and
]

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(6)
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Providing information and services to
the public through joint cooperation with the several counties[
.
]
;
and

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(7)
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Coordinating a civics program that
is guided by the Aloha Spirit; educates and instills the values of Aloha
throughout the State; and promotes civic values, norms, and practices in the
activities of government, institutions, and life of the community.

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For
the purposes of this paragraph, "Aloha Spirit" has the same meaning
as defined in section 5‑7.5.
"

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SECTION

4
.
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There is
appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $250,000
or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same
sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for
the
establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) civic education specialist
positions to support civics education within the department of education
.

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The
sums

appropriated shall be expended
by the
department of education
for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION

5
.
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There is
appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $50,000
or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same
sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for
a
civics program to be conducted by the public access room
.

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The
sums

appropriated shall be expended
by the
legislative reference bureau
for the purposes of this
Act.

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SECTION 6.
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Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
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New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION

7
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This Act shall
take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DAGS;
DOE; UH; LRB; PAR; Hawaii Civics Collaborative; Aloha Spirit; Civics Education;
Democracy; Positions; Appropriations

Description:

Establishes
the Hawaii Civics Collaborative within the Department of Accounting and General
Services to promote civics engagement and perpetuate the Aloha Spirit.
�
Requires the Department of Education,
University of Hawaii Matsunaga Institute for Peace, Public Access Room, and
other community organizations to facilitate civic engagement education
statewide.
�
Establishes two full-time
equivalent (2.0 FTE) civic education specialist positions within the Department
of Education.
�
Appropriates funds.

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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.