HB624 • 2026

RELATING TO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.

Education

Active

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

Sponsor: WOODSON, AMATO, BELATTI, GARRETT, KAPELA, LA CHICA, LOWEN, MARTEN, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, QUINLAN, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TARNAS
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how the working group will be funded or what steps they might recommend.

Creating a Working Group for School Psychologists

This bill establishes a working group within the Department of Education to recommend steps towards licensing school psychologists in Hawaii by 2026.

What This Bill Does

Creates a School Psychologists Working Group inside the Department of Education.
The group will suggest actionable steps or propose legislation for an immediate pathway to licensure for school psychologists that can be acted upon in 2026.
Includes members from education, commerce and consumer affairs, and law.
Requires the working group to invite representatives from national and state associations related to school psychology.
Asks the group to submit a report with their findings and recommendations before the start of the 2026 regular session.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Education
School psychologists in Hawaii
Representatives from national and state associations related to school psychology

Terms To Know

Licensure: A legal permission given by the government that allows someone to work as a professional in a specific field.
Working Group: A team of people brought together to solve a particular problem or complete a task.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the working group will be funded.
It is unclear what specific steps the working group might recommend for licensing school psychologists.
The exact date when the recommendations of the working group will take effect is not specified in this legislation.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment creates a working group within the Department of Education to recommend steps or propose laws for licensing school psychologists by 2026.

Establishes a School Psychologists Working Group in the Department of Education.
Sets up membership requirements, including representatives from various associations and state agencies.
Requires the working group to submit a report with recommendations and proposed legislation before the start of the 2026 legislative session.

The effective date listed as July 1, 3000 is likely an error or placeholder and should be clarified.
Details on how the working group will operate day-to-day are not provided in this amendment text.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment creates a working group within the Department of Education to recommend steps towards licensing school psychologists in Hawaii by 2026.

Establishes a School Psychologists Working Group within the Department of Education.
Specifies that the working group will consist of representatives from various state agencies and professional organizations, as well as additional stakeholders recommended by the majority of the group members.
Requires the working group to submit a report with recommendations and proposed legislation to the legislature before the start of the 2026 regular session.

The amendment does not specify what exact steps or legislation will be recommended, as these details are left for the working group to determine.
It is unclear how the recommendations and proposed legislation from the working group will be implemented after submission.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-03-21 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2025-03-21 S
Reported from EDU/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1285) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2025-03-18 S
The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.
2025-03-18 S
The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Kim, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto.
2025-03-13 S
The committee(s) on EDU/CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2025-03-04 S
Referred to EDU/CPN, WAM.
2025-02-28 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-02-28 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 26).
2025-02-27 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-27 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 848), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-20 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos, Ward.
2025-02-18 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 02-20-25 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-13 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-13 H
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 555), recommending referral to FIN.
2025-02-11 H
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Tuesday, 02-11-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-05 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-02-05 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 174) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2025-01-30 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, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kapela.
2025-01-28 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 01-30-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to EDN, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.
DOE; School Psychologists; Working Group; Report
Creates a School Psychologists Working Group within the Department of Education to recommend actionable steps or propose legislation for an immediate pathway to licensure for school psychologists that can be acted upon in 2026. Requires a report to the Legislature. Takes effect 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB624

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

624

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to school psychologists
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that properly
licensed school psychologists provide effective services to help children and
youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally by
providing direct educational and mental health services, as well as working
with parents, educators, and other professionals to create supportive learning
and social environments for all children.

����
The
legislature further finds that Hawaii is the only state without certification
or licensure for school psychologists.
�
A
dialogue on how to create a pathway for the licensure of school psychologists
is needed to ensure that functioning school psychologists are properly
qualified and delivering appropriate services.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to create a school psychologists working group
within the department of education to recommend actionable steps or propose
legislation to the legislature on an immediate pathway to licensure for school
psychologists in 2026.

����
SECTION
2.
�
(a)
�

There is established within the department of education a school
psychologists working group to recommend actionable steps for, or propose
legislation on, an immediate pathway to licensure for school psychologists that
can be acted upon in 2026.

����
(b)
�
The working group shall consist of:

����
(1)
�
The superintendent of education, or the
superintendent's designee;

����
(2)
�
The director of commerce and consumer affairs,
or the director's designee; and

����
(3)
�
The attorney general, or the attorney
general's designee.

����
(c)
�
The working group shall select a chair from
among the members listed in subsection (b).

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(d)
�
The chair shall invite the following
individuals to become members of the working group:

����
(1)
�
A representative from the Hawaii Association
of School Psychologists;

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(2)
�
A representative from the National Association
of School Psychologists; and

����
(3)
�
Any other members, including representatives
from state agencies, stakeholders, or advocates, as recommended by a majority
of the working group.

����
(e)
�
Members of the working group shall serve
without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel
expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

����
(f)
�
The working group shall submit a report of
its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the legislature
no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

����
(g)
�
The working group shall cease to exist on
July 31, 2026.

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SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

School
Psychologists; Working Group; Department of Education

Description:

Creates a
School Psychologists Working Group to recommend actionable steps or propose
legislation for an immediate pathway to licensure for school psychologists that
can be acted upon in 2026.

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