HB1595 • 2026

RELATING TO THE STATE LIBRARIAN.

Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: GARRETT, KILA, MIYAKE, TAKENOUCHI
Last action: 2026-03-10
Official status: Referred to EDU, WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about market conditions or performance standards, only that it removes the salary cap.

Removing the State Librarian's Salary Limit

This bill removes the salary cap for the state librarian, allowing the board of education to set a higher salary based on market conditions and responsibilities.

What This Bill Does

Removes the current limit on how much money the state librarian can earn.

Who It Names or Affects

The state librarian, who will no longer have a salary limit.
The board of education, which will set the new salary for the state librarian.

Terms To Know

Salary cap: A maximum amount that someone can earn in a job.
Board of Education: The group responsible for making decisions about Hawaii's public education system, including libraries.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear how much the salary will increase or if it will attract more qualified librarians.
This bill only affects the state librarian and does not change salaries for other library staff.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment removes the salary cap for the state librarian, allowing the board of education to set a higher salary based on market conditions.

Removes the current statutory limit that restricts the state librarian's salary to no more than $175,000 per year.
Allows the board of education to determine the state librarian’s salary without being bound by a specific cap.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder or error in the text.
It is unclear how this will affect recruitment and retention efforts before the stated effective date.

Bill History

2026-03-10 S
Referred to EDU, WAM.
2026-03-10 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 139).
2026-03-06 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (3) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 944-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 692-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-19 H
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, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 02-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-16 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE STATE LIBRARIAN.
State Librarian; Salary Cap
Repeals the salary cap for the state librarian. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1595

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1595

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the state librarian
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the
current salary cap for the state librarian significantly impedes the ability of
the department of education to recruit and retain qualified individuals to
oversee Hawaii's statewide public library system, which spans all islands and
serves as a critical educational and community resource.
�
The legislature further finds that comparable
executive-level positions within the State, including other leadership
positions filled by appointment by the board of education and executives within
the university of Hawaii system, are not subject to similar statutory salary caps.
�
By removing the current statutory salary cap,
the board of education will be able to set compensation based on market
conditions, responsibilities, and performance standards, which will strengthen
the administration and modernization of the State's public library system by
attracting and retaining highly qualified individuals.

����
Therefore,
the purpose of this Act is to remove the current statutory cap on the salary
for the state librarian.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 312-2.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

����
"(b)
�
The salary of the state librarian shall be
set by the board of education [
at a rate no greater than $175,000 a year
]."

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

State
Librarian; Salary Cap

Description:

Repeals
the salary cap for the state librarian.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.