RELATING TO EDUCATION.

HB620

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

620

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to education
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
This Act shall be known and may be cited as
the Hawaii Braille Literacy Education Act.

����
SECTION 2.
�
The legislature finds that literacy skills
are fundamental to success in education, employment, and life for all members
of society.
�
Braille is widely understood
as an essential literacy tool for low vision and blind individuals.
�
A 2018 study from the Journal of Blindness
Innovation and Research found that individuals who were braille readers since
childhood reported higher levels of life-satisfaction, self-esteem, and job
satisfaction than individuals who had not used braille as their primary reading
medium during childhood.
�

����
The legislature further finds that
braille literacy skills are essential for low vision and blind students to
learn, seek and maintain remunerative employment, and access the opportunities
in life open to all regardless of disability.
�

Although one hundred sixty students in Hawaii are registered with the
American Printing House for the Blind to receive special education materials,
only seventeen students have braille services in their special education
programs.
�
The legislature believes that
it is in the interest of the State to promote braille instruction and ensure
timely access to braille instructional materials for low vision and blind
students, their parents and teachers, and other school personnel to ensure all
of Hawaii's students have access to appropriate educational services.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act
is to:

����
(1)
�
Require the
department of education to include the instruction of braille and provision of
braille instructional materials under certain circumstances;

����
(2)
�
Require the
department of education to establish and maintain a braille literacy resource
center; and

����
(3)
�
Appropriate funds.

����
SECTION 3.
�
Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

"
Part
�

braille services

����
�302A-A
�
Policy.
�

It is the policy of the State to promote braille literacy and support the
provision of braille educational services needed for eligible blind students to
fully participate in school and prepare for life after school ends.

����
�302A-B
�
Definitions.
�
For the purposes of this part:

����
"Braille" means the system
of reading and writing through touch commonly known as standard English
braille.

����
"Braille educational
services" means:

����
(1)
�
Instruction in
reading and writing in braille; and

����
(2)
�
The provision of
braille instructional materials.

����
"Braille instructional
materials" means print instructional materials, as defined in section
302A-442.5, that are printed in braille.

����
"Eligible blind student"
means an elementary or secondary school student who:

����
(1)
�
Is eligible for
services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended;

����
(2)
�
Is approved as an
eligible person, as defined in section 121(d)(3) of the Copyright Act of 1976
(17 U.S.C. 121(d)(3)), as amended; and

����
(3)
�
Attends a
department school, a private school under chapter 302C, a public charter school
under chapter 302D, or an approved alternative education program under section
302A-1132(a)(5),

and is blind or visually handicapped.

����
"Individualized education
program" and "individualized education program team" have the
same meanings as in section 614(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (20 U.S.C. section 1414(d)), as amended.

����
"Section 504 plan" and
"section 504 plan team" mean a formal plan for how a school will
ensure equal educational opportunity is provided to a student with a disability
as required under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.
section 791), as amended.

����
�302A-C
�
Braille educational services; eligible blind
students; braille instructional materials.
�

(a)
�
The individualized
education program or section 504 plan for an eligible blind student shall
include instruction in braille and provision of braille instructional materials
unless the individualized education program team or section 504 plan team
determines that the instruction or materials are not necessary for the student.

����
(b)
�

Every individualized education program or section 504 plan for an
eligible blind student shall include an assessment of an eligible blind
student's reading and writing ability and needs for braille educational services,
including the student's current and future needs for instruction in braille or
the use of braille.

����
(c)
�

If braille instruction is included in the eligible blind student's
individualized education program, the individualized education program shall:

����
(1)
�
Document:

���������
(A)
�
The results of
current braille reading and writing assessments of the student, if any;

���������
(B)
�
The date on which
braille literacy instruction will commence;

���������
(C)
�
The length of the
period of instruction and the frequency and duration of each instructional
session;

���������
(D)
�
Performance goals
for the end of the period and the objective assessment measures to be used; and

���������
(E)
�
The braille
instructional materials used and whether the materials were provided at the
same time as the corresponding print materials were provided to other students;
and

����
(2)
�
Summarize how use
of acquired braille skills and braille instructional materials will be
incorporated into the student's general education program and daily activities.

����
(c)
�

If the individualized education program team decides that braille
literacy instruction is not necessary for an eligible blind student in
accordance with subsection (b), the student's individualized education program
shall:

����
(1)
�
Document the
student's:

���������
(A)
�
Visual condition,
including cause, visual acuity, field of vision, visual functioning over time,
stability of the condition, and prognosis; and

���������
(B)
�
Ability to achieve
at least grade level reading and writing proficiency without regard to the use
of braille, as expected of the student's peers of comparable ability to learn
and progress from grade to grade in school;

����
(2)
�
Identify the
literacy assessment tools and methods used;

����
(3)
�
Evaluate the
student's current and future needs for braille instruction and braille
instructional materials; and

����
(4)
�
Provide the date
of the student's next literacy assessment, if one is to be conducted, not to
exceed twelve months from the previous assessment."

����
SECTION 4.
�
Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part II, subpart C to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�302A-D
�
Braille
literacy resource center; establishment; duties; rules.
�
(a)
�
The department shall establish
and maintain a braille literacy resource center that shall:

����
(1)
�
Advocate for
braille literacy and the provision of braille educational services to eligible
blind students;

����
(2)
�
Obtain
instructional materials in braille as needed;

����
(3)
�
Acquire,
maintain, and make available studies, reports, and other authoritative
information about the efficacy of instruction in braille and braille
instructional materials;

����
(4)
�
Ensure that
each eligible blind student is registered with the department of human services
pursuant to section 347-6;

����
(5)
�
For each
student registered pursuant to paragraph (4), provide the parent or legal
guardian and, as appropriate, the student with comprehensive information about
braille literacy instruction, braille instructional materials, assistive
technology devices, and assistive technology services, including tools and
options available to assess the student's braille literacy needs; and

����
(6)
�
When requested
by a member of an individualized education program team, section 504 plan team or,
as appropriate, an eligible blind student, participate in the development of
the student's individualized education program or section 504 plan.

����
(b)
�
The department shall designate an individual
from the braille literacy resource center to serve as the ex officio member of
the board of trustees of the American Printing House for the Blind pursuant to
the federal Act to Promote the Education of the Blind title 20 United States
Code 101 et seq., as amended.

����
(c)
�
The department may adopt rules pursuant to
chapter 91 to carry out the purposes of this section.

����
(d)
�
For purposes of this section:

����
"Assistive technology
device", "assistive technology service", and "braille"
have the same meaning as defined in section 302A-442.5.

����
"Braille educational
services" has the same meaning as in section 302A-B.

����
"Braille instructional
materials" has the same meaning as in section 302A-B.

����
"Eligible blind
student" has the same meaning as in section 302A-B.

����
"Individualized education
program" has the same meaning as in section 302A-B.

����
"Individualized education
program team" has the same meaning as in section 302A-B.
"

����
"Section 504 plan" has
the same meaning as in section 302A-B.

����
"Section 504 plan team"
has the same meaning as in section 302A-B.
"

����
SECTION 5.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ 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 to establish and
operate the braille literacy resource center established by this Act.

����
The sums

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

����
SECTION 6.
�
In codifying the new sections added by
sections 3 and 4 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute
appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new
sections in this Act.

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

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOE;
Braille Literacy Instruction; Braille Literacy Materials; Braille Literacy
Resource Center; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
state policy to promote braille literacy for eligible blind students.
�
Requires the individualized education programs
and section 504 plans of eligible blind students to include the assessment and evaluation
of eligible blind students' reading and writing abilities, instruction of braille,
and provision of braille instructional materials under certain
circumstances.
�
Requires the Department
of Education to establish a Braille Literacy Resource Center.
�
Appropriates funds.

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