HB864 • 2026

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Education Healthcare Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: LA CHICA, AMATO, GRANDINETTI, IWAMOTO, KILA, MARTEN, PERRUSO, POEPOE
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary and text do not provide details on how many students will participate or benefit from this coverage, nor do they clarify the effective date issue.

Education Act: Workers' Compensation for Recent Graduates

This bill allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible for workers' compensation coverage while participating in Department of Education-sponsored work-based learning programs during the summer following their graduation.

What This Bill Does

Allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible for workers' compensation coverage when they participate in Department of Education-sponsored work-based learning programs during the summer after graduation.
Requires an annual report on these programs and their impact.

Who It Names or Affects

Newly graduated high school students participating in Department of Education-sponsored work-based learning programs during summer.
Employers who partner with schools for internships or work experiences.

Terms To Know

Work-based Learning Programs: Programs that provide real-world job experience to students, often through internships or apprenticeships.
Workers' Compensation: A type of insurance that provides medical care and compensation for employees who are injured at work.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a student is injured outside the Department of Education-sponsored programs.
It is unclear how many students will participate in these programs and benefit from this coverage.
The effective date of July 1, 3000 appears to be an error or placeholder.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible for workers' compensation coverage during the summer following their graduation while participating in Department of Education-sponsored work-based learning programs.

Expands eligibility for workers' compensation to include new high school graduates participating in work-based learning programs sponsored by the Department of Education or the University of Hawaii.

The amendment specifies that coverage ends on July 31 of the student's graduation year, which may limit its usefulness beyond this period.
The effective date is set for July 1, 3000, which seems to be an error or placeholder and needs clarification.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Expands eligibility for workers' compensation to include new high school graduates participating in work-based learning programs sponsored by the Department of Education during the summer after graduation.
Requires an annual report from the department detailing the number of students involved and any claims filed.

The amendment specifies that coverage ends on July 31 of the year following high school graduation, limiting its duration to one summer only.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-03-06 S
Referred to EDU/LBT, WAM.
2025-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 294).
2025-03-04 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-04-25.
2025-02-28 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1011) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-21 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Miyake, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M., Morikawa, Alcos, Ward.
2025-02-19 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Friday, 02-21-25 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-14 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-14 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 752), recommending referral to FIN.
2025-02-13 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.
2025-02-11 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 02-13-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-04 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on EDN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kong, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-04 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 131) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to EDN.
2025-01-30 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; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2025-01-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Thursday, 01-30-25 9:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to LAB, EDN, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO EDUCATION.
DOE; Workers' Compensation; Work-based Internships
Allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible for workers' compensation coverage during the summer following their high school graduation while participating in Department of Education-sponsored work-based learning programs. Requires an annual report. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB864

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

864

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.
�
The legislature finds that a main
goal of the department of education's
State of Hawaii public
education 2023-2029 strategic plan is to have "all students graduate high
school prepared for college and career success and community and civic
engagement."
�
As
part of this goal, an action item in the strategic plan includes
"expand[ing] students' opportunities for structured work-based learning
experiences, including internships for high school students, through
partnerships with employers, community partners, military and higher education
institutions."

����
To achieve the goals set
forth in the strategic plan, the department of education is actively pursuing
internships for students, including graduating high school students.
�
However, the department finds that once students
graduate from high school, they are no longer considered a student and are not
covered for workers' compensation while they are participating in a
department-sponsored work-based learning opportunity during the summer
following graduation.

����
Therefore,
the purpose of this Act is to allow newly graduated former students to be
eligible for workers' compensation coverage during the summer following their
high school graduation while participating in work-based learning programs
sponsored by the department of education.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 302A-430, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�302A-430
�
Coverage for workers' compensation.
�

Whenever a student
or a new high school graduate
participating in
a school-approved work-based learning program sponsored by the department [
of
education
] or
a student participating in a school-approved work-based
learning program sponsored by
the [
University
]
university
of
Hawaii undertakes to perform work for a private or public employer as part of
the student's
or new high school graduate's
work-based learning program,
whether paid or unpaid, the State shall be deemed to be the responsible
employer for the purposes of workers' compensation coverage[
,
]
;
provided that no coverage under this section shall be provided beyond July 31
of the student's or the new high school graduate's high school graduation year,
and
that
coverage
shall be the student's
or the new high school
graduate's
exclusive remedy to the same extent as provided for in chapter
386 as against the State and the private employer participating in the program.
"

����
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:

DOE; Workers' Compensation; Work-based Internships

Description:

Allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible
for workers' compensation coverage during the summer following their high
school graduation while participating in Department of Education-sponsored
work-based learning programs.

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