URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO RECOGNIZE ROBOTICS AS AN INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORT AND DEDICATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT ROBOTICS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE.

HCR143

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

143

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

UrgIng the department of education to recognize robotics
as an INTERSCHOLASTIC sport
AND DEDICATE
FUNDING TO SUPPORT ROBOTICS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE.

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WHEREAS, in
1999 the first robotics program was established at Waialua High School, and since
then, the State has embraced robotics technology as both an educational and
competitive platform; and

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WHEREAS, in
the past the legislature supported robotics programs through measures such as
Act 111, SLH 2007, and other measures investing in Hawaii's emerging science
and technology fields; and

WHEREAS, the legislature appropriated
funding for scholarships for the State's first "For Inspiration and
Recognition of Science and Technology" (FIRST) regional competition; and

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WHEREAS, through
FIRST and VEX Robotics, two major robotics programs for students in grades
pre-kindergarten through twelve, Hawaii's robotics teams engage more than two
thousand five hundred students from numerous schools across the State; and

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WHEREAS, these
robotics teams achieve national and international success and contribute to the
community by leading local science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
education initiatives; and

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WHEREAS, unfortunately,
since 2009, the State has lost numerous robotics teams due to insufficient
resources and a lack of mentors; and

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WHEREAS, unlike
most extracurricular activities, robotics is conducted year-round, with each
team having several mentors and the cost of hosting a competition exceeding
hundreds or even thousands of dollars; and

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WHEREAS, recent
federal funding cuts have also impacted several Hawaii robotics teams, forcing
their reliance on competitive grants, which are not guaranteed; and

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WHEREAS, a lack
of consistent funding has threatened robotics programs at Maui High School,
James Campbell High School, and several others; and

WHEREAS, this has minimized the
access to education that robotics provides in areas such as hands-on science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics that increases critical thinking and
creative problem-solving skills among students; and

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WHEREAS, it
is crucial that the State joins states such as Texas, Connecticut, Arizona, and
Minnesota which already recognize robotics as a sanctioned sport; now,
therefore,

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BE IT
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the
State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, the Senate concurring, the Department
of Education is urged to recognize robotics as an interscholastic sport and
dedicate funding to support robotics programs across the state; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED the Department of Education shall take the necessary administrative steps
needed to deem robotics an interscholastic sport; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED the Department of Education shall conduct an assessment to determine
the appropriate amount of fiscal support needed to maintain robotic programs
across the state; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the
Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, and Director
of Hawaii High School Athletic Association.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:
�

DOE;
Robotics Programs; Interscholastic Sports; Funding