HB1892 • 2026

RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Education

Active

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

Sponsor: WOODSON, AMATO, BELATTI, CHUN, GRANDINETTI, HUSSEY, ILAGAN, KAPELA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, KUSCH, LEE, M., LOWEN, MATSUMOTO, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAM, TARNAS, TODD
Last action: 2026-03-12
Official status: Referred to EDU/LBT, WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on whether a teacher representative can serve more than one term or what happens if they cannot complete their full term due to unforeseen circumstances.

Adding a Nonvoting Teacher Representative to the Board of Education

This bill requires the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to appoint a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board of Education, allowing them to participate in all meetings and executive sessions except those related to collective bargaining or personnel conflicts.

What This Bill Does

Requires the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to choose a nonvoting public school teacher to be on the Board of Education.
Allows this teacher representative to join all Board of Education meetings, including private discussions unless it involves collective bargaining or personal issues that could cause conflicts.

Who It Names or Affects

The Board of Education
Public school teachers in Hawaii

Terms To Know

Bargaining unit (5): A group of public school teachers who negotiate with the government for better working conditions and benefits.
Executive sessions: Private meetings held by the Board of Education to discuss sensitive or confidential matters.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how conflicts of interest will be determined.
It is unclear what happens if a teacher representative cannot serve their full term due to unforeseen circumstances.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment adds a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board of Education, selected by the exclusive representative of bargaining unit (5), who can participate in all board meetings except those involving collective bargaining negotiations or personnel matters.

Adds a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board of Education.
Specifies that the teacher representative is appointed by the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5).
Allows the teacher representative to attend all board meetings and executive sessions, except those related to collective bargaining or personnel matters.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder for a future implementation date.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Adds a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board of Education.
Specifies that the teacher representative is appointed by the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5).
Allows the teacher representative to attend all board meetings and executive sessions, except those related to collective bargaining or personnel matters.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder for a future implementation date.

HD3

Hawaii published version HD3

Adds a nonvoting public school teacher representative to the Board of Education.
Specifies that the teacher representative is appointed by the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5).
Allows the teacher representative to attend all board meetings and executive sessions, except those related to collective bargaining or personnel matters.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder for a future implementation date.

Bill History

2026-03-12 S
Referred to EDU/LBT, WAM.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 314).
2026-03-10 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia voting no (2) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1137-26) as amended in HD 3, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-24 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Cochran; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem, Garcia.
2026-02-20 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-24-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-19 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-19 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 478-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.
2026-02-12 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Thursday, 02-12-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-05 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Woodson excused (1).
2026-02-05 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 22-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.
2026-02-03 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.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 02-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to EDN, LAB, JHA, referral sheet 2
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
Board of Education; Public School Teacher Representative
Requires the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to appoint to the Board of Education a nonvoting public school teacher representative. Authorizes the nonvoting public school teacher representative to participate in all Board of Education meetings and enter into executive sessions, except in certain matters related to collective bargaining negotiations or personnel matters that may pose a conflict of interest. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1892

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1892

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the board of education
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the board
of education serves as the policy-making body for the State's public school
system.
�
While the board of education
currently includes a nonvoting student representative and a nonvoting military
representative, the board does not have a formal seat for a public school
teacher.

����
The
legislature further finds that teachers are the primary implementers of board
of education policy and possess unique, ground-level insights into the
challenges and opportunities within Hawaii's classrooms.
�
The legislature believes that adding a
nonvoting teacher representative from bargaining unit (5) will ensure that the
board has direct access to professional pedagogical expertise and first and
knowledge of the impact of policy decisions on students and educators.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to add a nonvoting teacher representative, to be
selected by the exclusive representative of bargaining unit(5), to the board of
education.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 302A-121, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
[
[
]�
302A-121[
]
]
�
Board of education; members; student [
and
]
,

military
, and teacher
representatives.
�
(a)
�

The board shall consist of nine
voting
members as follows:

����
(1)
�
One member from
the county of Hawaii;

����
(2)
�
One member from
the county of Maui;

����
(3)
�
One member from
the county of Kauai;

����
(4)
�
Three members from
the city and county of Honolulu; and

����
(5)
�
Three at-large
members; provided that the governor shall select an at-large member as the
chairperson.

The members shall be appointed by the governor, with
the advice and consent of the senate.
�

The governor may
remove
or suspend for cause any member of the board
.

����
(b)
�

Pursuant to article XVIII, section 12, of the Hawaii State Constitution,
the period of transition from the elected to the appointed board shall be as
determined in section 21 of
Act 5, Session Laws of Hawaii 2011.

����
(c)
�
The members of the board shall serve without
pay but
shall be entitled to
reimbursement for necessary expenses
, including travel and board and
lodging expenses,
while

attending meetings of the board or when actually engaged in business relating
to the work of the board.

����
(d)
�
Pursuant to section 302A-447, the state
student council shall select a nonvoting public high school student
representative to the board.

����
(e)
�

Pursuant to section 302A-1101(c), the board shall invite the senior
military commander in Hawaii to appoint a nonvoting military representative to
the board.

����
(f)
�
The exclusive representative for bargaining
unit (5) shall appoint to the board a nonvoting public school teacher
representative, who shall be in good standing.
�

The term of the nonvoting public school teacher representative shall be
two years; provided that the nonvoting public school teacher representative may
be reappointed for one additional consecutive term of two years.

����
(g)
�
The nonvoting public school teacher
representative appointed pursuant to subsection (f) shall be allowed to
participate in all board meetings and shall be allowed to enter into executive
sessions; provided that the nonvoting public school teacher representative
shall be excluded from any executive session that involves matters related to
collective bargaining negotiations or other personnel matters that may pose a
conflict of interest.
"

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

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Board of
Education; Public School Teacher Representative

Description:

Requires
the exclusive representative for bargaining unit (5) to appoint to the Board of
Education a nonvoting public school teacher representative.
�
Authorizes the nonvoting public school
teacher representative to participate in all Board of Education meetings and
enter into executive sessions, except in certain matters related to collective
bargaining negotiations or personnel matters that may pose a conflict of
interest.

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